Trump's Axe Looms: Pentagon Faces 90-Day Deadline to Justify Over-Budget Weapons Programs!

In a move set to shake the foundations of the U.S. defense establishment, President Donald Trump has issued an executive order that could lead to the cancellation of numerous major weapons programs. The order, signed today, directs the Pentagon to conduct a rapid review of all major defense acquisition programs, identifying those that are underperforming and potentially earmarking them for termination.

Key Points of the Executive Order:

• 90-Day Review: The Pentagon has a strict 90-day deadline to review all major defense acquisition programs.
• Cancellation Criteria: Programs exceeding budget by 15%, behind schedule by 15%, failing to meet key performance parameters, or misaligned with the Secretary of Defense's priorities are at risk.
• OMB Oversight: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will receive a list of programs considered for cancellation, influencing future budget decisions.
• Acquisition Reform Plan: Within 60 days, the Secretary of Defense must submit a plan to prioritize commercial technologies, streamline processes, and foster innovation in weapons acquisition.
• Workforce Review: A separate plan within 120 days will assess staffing levels in the defense acquisition workforce, potentially leading to cuts.

The executive order signals a significant shift in how the Trump administration intends to manage defense spending and program efficiency. Unlike previous reviews that typically only scrutinized programs facing critical breaches (cost overruns of 50% or more), this order casts a wider net, potentially impacting a larger number of initiatives.

The order doesn't explicitly name programs in danger, a White House fact sheet singles out the new Air Force One jets, the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile system, and "nine Navy ship programs" as examples of projects experiencing budget and schedule issues.

President Trump stated, "As I work to again rebuild America’s military strength and deterrence that Joe Biden so foolishly squandered, we need to take a long, hard look at defense procurement and our defense industrial base, because it’s been withered down to nothing. Given all the money we spend on the Pentagon, it’s unacceptable that we would ever run out of ammunition or be unable to quickly produce the weapons needed.”

The implications of this executive order are far-reaching, potentially impacting defense contractors, military readiness, and the overall strategic posture of the United States. The next 90 days will be critical as the Pentagon navigates this directive and determines which programs will survive the Trump administration's cost-cutting scrutiny.