Scoop: Inside Hegseth's classified plea for more defense funds
Top Pentagon officials are already pitching reconciliation 4.0 to Senate Republicans behind closed doors, underscoring the need for a massive boost in military funds, Axios has learned. Why it matters: Thune hasn't embraced reconciliation 3.0. The White House is already looking beyond it. Trump officials are quietly sketching out a lame-duck package that could pair significant Pentagon funding…
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other high-ranking Pentagon officials have been conducting private briefings for Republican senators, aiming to secure more defense funds through the reconciliation process. The meetings, held in a secure environment, included a comprehensive threat analysis with a focus on China, as well as discussions on the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) spending to maintain the U.S. edge over its adversaries.
Undersecretary for research and engineering, Emil Michael, emphasized the need for significant AI investment. While the senators urged the officials to expand their outreach to gain the support of senators who are still undecided, Democrats were not invited to the closed-door sessions. The briefings come as the White House is exploring a potential lame-duck package that could combine substantial Pentagon funding with other priorities, such as a debt ceiling increase necessary for 2027.
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