The Pentagon Moves To Protect The Budget For Its Space Programs

Air Force

National Defense: Pentagon Plans to Shield Space Programs from Potential Budget Cuts

Protecting space program funding will be a top priority for the Pentagon as it carries out President Donald Trump’s order to trim $33 billion from its fiscal year 2020 budget blueprint, Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan told reporters Nov. 15.

Pentagon officials have spent about 10 months building a $733 billion budget to submit to the White House. But a few weeks ago, Trump tasked the department to come back to him with a $700 billion proposal for 2020.

The military services are expected to provide their input about areas to cut on Monday. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and other officials from his office will then adjust those spending numbers before they are delivered to the White House, Shanahan said during a meeting with reporters at the Pentagon. Department leaders are expected to brief Trump about the smaller budget the week after Thanksgiving, he noted.

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WNU Editor: The Pentagon does not want to risk losing the "high ground".