On Sunday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) voiced his criticism of defense spending through a post on the social media platform X, expressing agreement with tech billionaire Elon Musk’s perspective. He stated, “Elon Musk is right. The Pentagon, with a budget of $886 billion, just failed its 7th audit in a row. It’s lost track of billions.”
He emphasized the need for change by noting that “last year, only 13 senators voted against the Military Industrial Complex and a defense budget full of waste and fraud.” Recently, President-elect Trump appointed Musk and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a newly created “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE).
Sanders takes to social media to spotlight the Pentagon’s failed audits and push for change
This initiative aims to eliminate excessive regulations, reduce unnecessary spending, and reorganize federal agencies. According to the president-elect, DOGE will “provide advice and guidance from outside of government” and collaborate with the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.
In a Monday interview on CNN, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) suggested that Democrats could partner with Musk’s DOGE to reduce the defense budget. He criticized the existing budget for its “waste, fraud, and abuse,” pointing out that the Defense Department “has failed the last six or seven audits.”
Khanna mentioned, “When it comes to cutting waste, fraud, and abuse and opening the 5 primes to more competition, there are Democrats on [the House Armed Services Committee] who will work with @elonmusk and @DOGE,” highlighting potential bipartisan cooperation. Musk responded positively to Khanna’s comment, replying with “Cool!”
In response to Sanders’ criticisms, the Defense Department released an email to The Hill on Sunday, reiterating previous statements made by Michael McCord, the under secretary of Defense comptroller. They also included additional materials related to audits, such as a press release and a fact sheet.
