Hegseth orders Pentagon's testing office staff cut by more than half

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

05/29/25 5:22 PM ET


The Senate Armed Services Committee’s top Democrat is blasting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over his decision this week to appoint a new director of the Pentagon’s operational test enterprise and rapidly cut its staff by more than half.

Hegseth said his directed reorganization, which would reduce the staff, budget and resources at the Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), supports the Defense Department’s “America First” strategy, according to a Tuesday memo.

But Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) said Thursday the move is “reckless and damaging” to military accountability and oversight.

“For decades, DOT&E has played a vital, legally mandated role in safeguarding the integrity of major defense programs and ensuring military systems are effective before they are put into warfighters’ hands,” Reed said in a statement. He said Hegseth has given no logical reasoning for this action, and he is worried the move “appears retaliatory, driven by Mr. Hegseth’s opposition to some of DOT&E’s recent, legally required oversight decisions.”

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5324874-reduction-pentagon-test-office/