Pete Hegseth on Pentagon Reforms and 'DEI Is Dead' During Senate Testimony

Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Budget

• 🇺🇸 The testimony supports President Trump's proposed fiscal year 26 budget for the Department of Defense, totaling over $1 trillion for national security.
• 💰 The budget aims to end four years of underinvestment by increasing the DoD budget by $143 billion, achieved through killing wasteful programs and redirecting funds.
• 🤝 The budget includes significant investments in quality of life for troops and families, such as historic investments in barracks, base housing, and reforms to the PCS process.

Restoring the Warrior Ethos

• 🎯 A core priority is restoring the warrior ethos by focusing on war fighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards, and readiness.
• 🚫 DEI is dead; it has been replaced with a color-blind, gender-neutral, merit-based approach.
• 📈 Recruitment and retention are reported to be higher than in decades, attributed to President Trump's America First priorities.

Rebuilding Military Strength

• 🚀 The budget invests in reviving the defense industrial base, reforming acquisitions, and rapidly fielding emerging technologies.
• ✈️ Key investments include $25 billion for Golden Dome for America, over $62 billion for nuclear forces, $3.5 billion for the F-47 fighter, and $6 billion for shipbuilding.
• 🤖 Significant funds are allocated for next-generation technology, including autonomous systems, long-range drones, and hypersonics.

Reestablishing Deterrence and Global Security

• 🛡️ Credible deterrence is linked to securing borders, with reported decreases in illegal crossings and zero illegal releases last month.
• 🌏 The Indo-Pacific is identified as the priority theater, with China as the pacing threat.
• 🌍 Allies are urged to increase defense spending, with an expectation for NATO allies to commit to 5% of GDP on defense at the upcoming summit.
• ⚖️ The department is executing a common-sense agenda for peace through strength, matching capabilities to threats and preparing for war to long for peace.