WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement in response to recent actions by the Trump Administration that have triggered chaos and confusion at the Department of Defense.
“Chaos and confusion do not help the Department of Defense operate more efficiently or effectively, nor do they strengthen our national defense. In fact, this weakens us—sending a terrible signal to Vladimir Putin as Trump is entering into highly questionable negotiations over the war in Ukraine that threaten to impact the national security of friends and allies as well as here at home.
“Yet Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth continues to sow chaos and confusion, this time with a half-baked memo to military leadership that appears to call for not just reductions within the FY26 DoD budget, but for each year over the next five years with no clear plan for how any identified savings would be used. What is the goal here? Will they be reinvested in more innovative programs and strengthening our defense? It all remains unclear.
“I have repeatedly called for greater efficiency in the DoD, including reining in spending and cutting aging legacy systems and programs to reinvest those funds in more efficient and effective programs and systems. To achieve that critically important and bipartisan goal requires a thoughtful and deliberative approach. We need a well-crafted plan that is clearly communicated. Secretary Hegseth and the Trump Administration have failed, yet again.
“The lack of strategy here has further been made apparent by Secretary Hegseth’s and OPM’s review of a list of almost 55,000 probationary DoD employees to fire. Our military services are being asked to dismiss the same civil servants that they have struggled to recruit and retain for years. This is not about performance or strategically consolidating the national security workforce. This is about carelessly slashing the federal workforce in favor of political antics.
“Whether the chaos is by design or default, the effect is the same—creating dangerous instability and uncertainty.
“I look forward to contributing to Congress’ constitutional role authorizing and appropriating programs and monies to protect the national defense whether or not the Secretary of Defense acts responsibly in his position.”
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