The Pentagon has identified more than $5 billion in programs it wants to shift money away from — including the military’s independent newspaper — to fund higher-priority initiatives, The Wall Street Journal reported.
According to a draft document, Stars and Stripes is among the targets for reduced funding, along with about 50 medical facilities across the country and some logistics operations, The Journal reported.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper directed aides to review funding for nearly $100 billion in nonmilitary Pentagon programs to find cash to redirect toward initiatives like combating threats from China and Russia, and away from efforts focusing on the Middle East, The Journal reported.
Esper defended the notion of cutting funds for Stars and Stripes on Friday, telling reporters in Europe that the independent news organization is not a priority, Stars and Stripes reported.
“Their hard work and dedication in reporting on issues that matter the most to the military community continues to be of value,” Esper said, the news outlet reported.
“However, as we look forward to the current budget proposal and beyond, the DOD must prioritize spending to support our warfighters in the most critical areas of need. Therefore, the department has made the difficult decision that, beginning in fiscal year 2021, it will no longer provide appropriated funds to Stars and Stripes.”
The draft proposed all the transferred money be reinvested in nuclear modernization, space, missile defense, hypersonic weapons, artificial intelligence and next-generation communications and force “readiness,” the Journal reported.
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