US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the military services to identify 50 billion dollars in programmes that could be cut next year. This is aimed at redirecting the savings to fund President Donald Trump’s priorities. In a statement yesterday, Robert Salesses, Deputy Secretary of Defence, said excessive bureaucracy and programmes targeting climate change or other programmes such as diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives would be targeted. It further added they are guided by the priorities including securing borders and building the Iron Dome for America, among others.

Iron Dome is envisioned as an extensive, multilayered air defence system for the US that President Trump has said should include the ability to shoot down incoming missiles from space.