President Trump is about to unleash DOGE on the only government agency that has never passed an audit: the Pentagon.

With an annual budget rapidly approaching a trillion dollars per year, no other pot of discretionary spending comes close. Moreover, the Pentagon recently failed its 7th consecutive audit, underscoring an ongoing breakdown in financial accountability that would never be tolerated at a publicly traded company. An agency receiving nearly a trillion taxpayer dollars to defend our nation should be held to at least the same standard. Imposing some fiscal discipline through targeted cuts is a good place to start.
Big-ticket weapon systems that have outlived their usefulness or never really worked in the first place make for obvious targets. As DOGE master Elon Musk has already suggested, the F-35 — with its overloaded mission set, serious performance issues, and $2 trillion price tag — has earned its place on the cut list.
Looking ahead plans for a 6th-generation fighter jet also warrant scrutiny. Early estimates suggest a manned 6th-generation fighter could cost up to three times the price of an F-35. But as importantly, the strategic value of a new generation of manned fighters is highly questionable in light of advancements in long-range fires, ground-based air defenses, and unmanned drones.
The Sentinel program, an effort to replace the land-based leg of the nuclear triad with a new generation of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), is another logical target. After informing lawmakers last February of a 37 percent increase in costs, the Air Force was forced to review the program. But in certifying it to move forward, it revealed a staggering 81 percent spike in projected costs, which would bring Sentinel’s total lifecycle cost to well over $300 billion.
On top of these rising costs, ICBMs offer no meaningful capabilities that aren’t covered by our more survivable nuclear bombers and ballistic missile submarines, and with advancements in hyperson...