Army weighs massive troop cuts amid budget pressures and strategic shift

04/08/2025 / By Laura Harris

The U.S. Army is considering reducing its active-duty force by up to 90,000 soldiers, potentially shrinking it to between 360,000 and 420,000, the lowest level in decades, due to budget constraints.
These cuts aim to create a more agile, specialized force focused on future high-tech conflicts (e.g., with China) rather than counterterrorism or large-scale ground wars.
Earlier cuts (24,000 positions in 2024) targeted counterterrorism roles, engineering jobs and cavalry units, mostly affecting unfilled positions rather than active soldiers.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered an eight percent annual budget reduction over five years (~$50B total), prioritizing nuclear modernization, drones and cybersecurity while cutting Middle East/Europe operations and DEI/climate programs.
Savings may fund Trump-era priorities like border security and missile defense (“Iron Dome for America”), with the Pentagon emphasizing efficiency and warfighting readiness over bureaucracy.

The U.S. Army is quietly deliberating a sweeping reduction of up to 90,000 active-duty soldiers due to budget constraints.

According to three defense officials, internal review explores trimming the force to between 360,000 and 420,000 troops, down from its current strength of roughly 450,000, as military planners seek to transform the Army into a more agile, specialized force better suited for future conflicts. (Related: 20 State AGs sue Trump administration over mass layoffs.)

Another official warned that such reviews often include extreme scenarios and that no final decisions have been made. It remains unclear whether the Army Reserve or National Guard would also face cuts.

The potential reduction in the Army’s active-duty force size under consideration could be significantly larger than the announced cut of approximately 24,000 positions in 2024.

Former Army Secretary Christine Wormuth explained that the earlier reductions primarily targeted roles linked to counterterrorism, including around 10,000 engineering and related positions tied to counterinsurgency missions. Additional cuts affected cavalry squadrons, which have become less relevant due to advancements in drone technology, as well as support roles in special operations.

Wormuth emphasized that the reductions largely involved unfilled job positions rather than discharging active soldiers, framing the changes as an adjustment to evolving military needs rather than a direct reduction in personnel.

If enacted, the cuts would mark one of the most dramatic force reductions in years and signal a strategic pivot away from Europe and counterterrorism missions toward potential high-tech conflicts with adversaries like China.

The deliberations follow the directive of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to slash eight percent of Pentagon’s budget.

In February, Hegseth directed senior Pentagon officials and military leaders to draft plans for an eight percent annual reduction in the defense budget over the next five years, a move projected to slash $50 billion from military spending while redirecting funds toward President Donald Trump’s national security priorities.

Budget cuts to target U.S. military commands in the Middle East and Europe

The directive, outlined in a memo, calls for cuts primarily targeting U.S. military commands in the Middle East and Europe but exempts 17 critical programs, including nuclear modernization, Virginia-class submarines, attack drones, missile defense and cybersecurity initiatives.

“The time for preparation is over – we must act urgently to revive the warrior ethos, rebuild our military and reestablish deterrence,” Hegseth wrote in his memo. “Our budget will resource the fighting force we need, cease unnecessary defense spending, reject excessive bureaucracy and drive actionable reform.”

Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses stated that the savings would help finance the Trump administration’s defense goals, such as bolstering border security and establishing an “Iron Dome for America” missile defense system. The Pentagon also aims to eliminate “unnecessary spending,” including diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and climate change initiatives.

“The Department will develop a list of potential offsets that could be used to fund these priorities, as well as to refocus the Department on its core mission of deterring and winning wars,” Salesses said. “The Department of Defense is conducting this review to ensure we are making the best use of the taxpayers’ dollars in a way that delivers on President Trump’s defense priorities efficiently and effectively.”

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