This is a joint publication of Taxpayers for Common Sense, The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, and The Stimson Center. 

The Trump administration’s stated commitment to reducing waste and inefficiency across the federal government offers important opportunities for policymakers to address excessive Pentagon spending.

Not only will smart, targeted Pentagon budget cuts save tens of billions of dollars, but they will also strengthen national security. By eliminating dysfunctional weapon systems and unnecessary missions, policymakers will enable the Pentagon to focus on the most urgent national security challenges. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may facilitate more intentional, effective national security spending by promoting the action items below.

They fall into four key categories:

1. Cancelling or reducing spending on dysfunctional or unnecessary weapons systems.
2. Making process changes that will encourage greater spending discipline.
3. Reducing bureaucracy, including both government personnel and the department’s hundreds of thousands of private contract employees.
4. Cutting excess basing infrastructure.