Saturday, May 17, 2025
Key Issues Army UAS focus Project Convergence FTUAS capabilities
Tony Bertuca is chief editor of Inside the Pentagon, the flagship publication of InsideDefense, where he focuses on defense budget and acquisition policy. He previously worked for the Sun-Times News Group in his hometown of Chicago, IL, and at the New Hampshire Union Leader in Manchester, NH. Tony has also served as managing editor of Inside the Army. He has a master's degree in journalism from Boston University.
Top U.S. defense intelligence officials told House lawmakers today that they expect to be impacted by the 5% to 8% civilian personnel cut mandated by the Trump administration amid the stress of a new mission to help seal the southern border from the flow of illegal migrants, but they struck chords of optimism, pledging to do more with less.
The Senate Armed Services Committee convened today to consider potential reforms to the U.S. foreign military sales process, including a possible reorganization at the Pentagon.
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), an appropriator and the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said today he is concerned the GOP's reconciliation bill, though it increases funding for defense, could undermine Congress' authority and give the Pentagon a "slush fund."
Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee Chairman Mitch McConnell (R-KY) today said he opposes the Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 defense spending request because of its reliance on a "budgetary sleight of hand" that masks a failure to pursue real and sustained growth in Pentagon buying power.
Senior defense officials are scheduled to speak at several public events this week, including congressional hearings.
President Trump has nominated Kirsten Davies, a former chief information security officer at multinational company Unilever, to be the Pentagon's chief information officer.
President Trump has nominated former General Electric executive Jeffrey Bornstein to be Pentagon comptroller.
Senior House defense appropriators today said they are unhappy with the Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 defense spending request, which would not keep pace with inflation if not for its reliance on separate budget reconciliation legislation that would bring the total defense budget to $1 trillion.
Senior House Democrats are seeking information from the Defense Department and NASA over potential conflicts of interest regarding government contracts awarded to SpaceX and CEO Elon Musk, who also leads the "Department of Government Efficiency."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Pentagon to cut its number of four-star active-duty and National Guard leaders by a minimum of 20%, according to a new memo.
The Defense Department has begun a 90-day "sprint" to develop a new framework and implementation plan for accelerating the acquisition of software, according to a new memo from a senior Pentagon official.
Senior defense officials are scheduled to speak at several public events this week, including congressional hearings.
White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought today defended the Trump administration’s fiscal year 2026 request for defense spending, which senior Senate Republicans say is built around a “gimmick” that amounts to a flat topline that does not keep pace with inflation.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby to begin working on the next National Defense Strategy to be completed no later than Aug. 31, according to a new memo.
President Trump plans to request $961 billion for the Pentagon in fiscal year 2026 and $1 trillion for total national defense spending, which is being touted as a 13% increase, but a senior GOP senator says there is budget gimmickry at work.
President Trump intends to nominate outgoing national security adviser Mike Waltz as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be assuming Waltz’s duties in addition to his current job.
The Pentagon has spent the first 100 days of the new Trump administration responding to numerous policy initiatives, including an 8% budget “re-look” for fiscal year 2026, job cuts to DOD's civilian workforce, changed guidelines for cancelling major programs and more.
The House Armed Services Committee voted 35-21 today to pass a GOP budget reconciliation bill that would increase defense spending by $150 billion, bypassing the objections of Democrats who said they doubted the money will be spent wisely by the Trump administration, noting the controversy surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and billionaire presidential adviser Elon Musk.
Senior defense officials are scheduled to appear at several public events this week, including the Modern Day Marine Conference.
Congressional Republicans have released a budget reconciliation bill that would increase defense spending in the coming years by $150 billion, updating a previous draft proposal with new investment amounts.