Listen to the article
Hegseth stands up anti-DEI task force
Some of the task force’s targets, like quotas and discriminatory promotion policies, don’t exist.
January 30, 2025 | Meghann Myers
Bloodbath: Joint Chiefs chair, CNO, Air Force vice chief, three top JAGs to be replaced
Trump, Hegseth announce plans to oust several of the military’s top officers amid larger DEI purge.
February 21, 2025 | Audrey Decker and Bradley Peniston
Pentagon to fire up to 61,000 workers, starting with 5,400 next week
After the first round of firings, DOD will launch a review intended to cut the civilian workforce by 5 to 8%, a personnel official said.
February 21, 2025 | Meghann Myers
In Pentagon shakeup, some see bid for more secret actions, less oversight
Trump’s unconventional pick for Joint Chiefs chair brings deep special-warfare experience.
February 23, 2025 | Patrick Tucker
Confusion, fear as changes whipsaw Defense workforce
Workforce cuts, travel freezes, and administrative burdens are leaving civilians shaken.
March 12, 2025 | Meghann Myers
SecDef gives DOD leaders less than two weeks to lay out cuts, changes
A Friday memo opens a new phase in Hegseth’s hurried effort to shrink the defense workforce.
March 29, 2025 | Bradley Peniston
Military support to law enforcement is supposed to be temporary. DOD is making it a core mission
“Sealing the border,” helping ICE, and counter-drug ops top the list, according to Pentagon documents.
August 31, 2025 | Meghann Myers
More than 60K defense civilians have left under Hegseth—but officials are mum on the effects
Months into a hastily ordered overhaul, officials declined to disclose metrics, discuss problems.
September 25, 2025 | Meghann Myers
SecDef uses unprecedented meeting to unveil 10 personnel, due-process reviews
After summoning senior officers from around the world, Hegseth invites them to resign if they don’t agree with him.
September 30, 2025 | Meghann Myers
‘Make Europe Great Again’ and more from a longer version of the National Security Strategy
A fuller version reviewed by Defense One outlines the Trump administration’s plans for shedding old relationships and creating new ones.
December 9, 2025 | Meghann Myers
Trump rebrands Congressionally-approved troop housing subsidy as ‘warrior dividend’ bonus
More than $2.9 billion in reconciliation funds was allocated to beef up troop housing allowances. Now it’s being used for $1,776 checks.
December 18, 2025 | Thomas Novelly
Read the full article here
15 Comments
I’m curious about the specifics of the 10 personnel and due-process reviews announced by SecDef, and how these changes will affect the career advancement and job security of military personnel.
The ‘Make Europe Great Again’ phrase from the National Security Strategy outlines a clear shift in the Trump administration’s foreign policy, which could have significant implications for international relations and alliances.
The confusion and fear among the Defense workforce due to the rapid changes, including workforce cuts and travel freezes, could impact morale and productivity in the short and long term.
I’m skeptical about the anti-DEI task force targeting quotas and discriminatory promotion policies that allegedly don’t exist, as stated by Hegseth, and I question the real motives behind this move.
The replacement of the Joint Chiefs chair, CNO, Air Force vice chief, and three top JAGs in one go raises concerns about stability and continuity in the military leadership.
This kind of upheaval could lead to power struggles and undermine the confidence of lower-ranking officers.
The review of the National Security Strategy and its emphasis on shedding old relationships and creating new ones could signal a significant departure from previous foreign policy approaches, with potentially far-reaching consequences.
The Pentagon’s plan to cut the civilian workforce by 5 to 8% could lead to a brain drain and loss of institutional knowledge, especially if experienced personnel are let go without a plan for succession.
The use of the term ‘warrior dividend’ for the $1,776 checks given to troops, rebranded from a Congressionally-approved troop housing subsidy, seems like a political move to garner support from the military community.
The appointment of a new Joint Chiefs chair with deep special-warfare experience may indicate a shift towards more covert operations, but it’s unclear how this will affect the overall strategy and transparency of military actions.
The decision to make military support to law enforcement a core mission, including ‘sealing the border’ and helping ICE, marks a significant shift in the Pentagon’s priorities and may blur the lines between military and law enforcement roles.
The fact that more than 60K defense civilians have left under Hegseth and officials are mum on the effects suggests there might be more to the story than what’s being publicly disclosed.
The plan to fire up to 61,000 workers from the Pentagon, starting with 5,400, seems drastic and I wonder what kind of impact this will have on national security and defense capabilities.
It’s likely to cause significant disruptions and potentially compromise the effectiveness of various defense operations.
The haste with which the defense workforce overhaul is being implemented, with leaders given less than two weeks to lay out cuts and changes, raises concerns about the potential for rash decisions and unintended consequences.