Military leadership contemplates significant reductions within the elite US defense forces
Breaking: Pentagon Mulling Major Overhaul of U.S. Military Structure
In the midst of the Trump administration's drive to trim the federal government, the Pentagon is considering some drastic moves to restructure the U.S. military, according to exclusive reports by CNN and a defense official.
These potential changes could include significant reshuffling of combatant commands, maybe getting rid of a directorate in charge of developing, training, and educating the joint force, and ceasing the expansion of U.S. Forces Japan.
Some eyebrow-raising reforms being contemplated involve merging European Command and Africa Command into a single command based in Stuttgart, Germany and combining U.S. Northern and Southern commands into a single AMERICOM command. These consolidations could present a risk and create an "increased scope of control and operations for the combatant commander," the briefing document states.
The document suggests that consolidating the commands could save the Pentagon around $330 million over five years. Another cost-saving measure under consideration is to stop the planned expansion of U.S. Forces Japan, which could save about $1.1 billion but might create "political risk" in Japan and reduce command and control in the Pacific.
The U.S. military's current annual budget stands at over $800 billion. While the Trump administration is nudging the department to make significant budget reductions, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has a different outlook—zeroing in on trimming the fat at department headquarters. Hegseth previously ordered the military to prepare plans for major budget cuts over the next five years, sparing border security, according to a memo obtained by CNN.
In recent weeks, the Pentagon has been actively attempting to eliminate large numbers of civilian employees, with the goal of slashing 5-8% of the department's civilian workforce. However, consolidating major commands could result in significant job losses as well.
Insight: The Trump administration's proposed military reforms seek to reallocate resources rather than reduce the overall military spending, which continues to be a significant part of U.S. federal discretionary spending. These changes also raise questions about the future of U.S. military presence in different regions and the potential implications for alliances and partnerships.
- The Pentagon, under the Trump administration's push for government trimming, is considering implementing drastic changes in the U.S. military structure, including merging EUCOM and AFRICOM into a single command, which could save around $330 million over five years, despite potential political risks.
- In an effort to increase efficiency, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is focusing on cutting unnecessary expenses at department headquarters, which could influence the employment status of a substantial percentage of the Pentagon's civilian workforce.
- Amidst the proposed consolidation of major commands and the removal of the directorate in charge of joint force development, training, and education, the Trump administration's military reforms could potentially lead to the elimination of the planned expansion of U.S. Forces Japan, saving roughly $1.1 billion but introducing uncertainties in command and control in the Pacific.
