Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) cautioned President Donald Trump against allowing savings from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to be absorbed by the Pentagon, warning that military spending could spiral out of control. Speaking on Breitbart News Daily, Burchett criticized the defense budget’s lack of accountability and called out both the Pentagon and Congress for wasteful spending.
Burchett recounted a recent meeting with Trump, where he raised his concerns. “I said, Mr. President, my biggest fear is this—you’re making all these great cuts with DOGE, and every dollar is going to be absorbed by the war pimps at the Pentagon and the war pimps in Congress,” he stated.
He warned Trump that opposition wouldn’t come from Democrats but from within the Republican Party. “You got about 100, 150 days before this bunch turns on you,” he said, predicting establishment Republicans would begin pushing back against spending cuts.
Burchett also highlighted the Pentagon’s ongoing financial mismanagement, pointing out that it has never passed an audit. “They cannot account for over a half a trillion dollars. That is an aircraft carrier that they cannot account for,” he said.
Despite his criticism, Burchett expressed strong support for the military but emphasized the need for responsible budgeting. He also reaffirmed his backing for Trump, stating, “We really got one shot at this thing. Don’t kid yourself, if Trump cannot pull this off, the next one will run us further off that cliff.”
As Trump pushes for aggressive budget cuts through DOGE, the battle over defense spending is shaping up to be a key fight within the Republican Party.
