Latest Pentagon Audit Shows Why DOGE Is a Thing

The numbers: For the seventh straight year, the Defense Department failed a yearly audit of its $824 billion budget. (The Hill)

• Silver lining: Agencies improved from having only 7% of their funds free of major accounting issues in 2021 to 82% being free of these problems.

Context: As public skepticism toward U.S. military intervention grows and trust in the armed forces declines, the Trump administration’s new Department of Government Efficiency — which has pledged to slash federal spending and eliminate waste — may be taking a hard look at the Pentagon.

To be fair: Defense spending as a share of GDP has been on the decline for years.

Bubba’s Two Cents

The military, much like other major institutions, is grappling with a self-inflicted credibility crisis. Missteps such as the Iraq War, the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal, mishandled budgets and ongoing recruitment struggles have undermined trust. This is especially concerning given that certain military sectors urgently need funding to address the growing challenge posed by rivals like China.