1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

Vote no on Secretary Hegseth's $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget request. This bloated spending package is fiscally irresponsible and fails to serve the American people. The Pentagon has already burned through $25 billion on the Iran war, a conflict most Americans never supported. Now they're asking for another massive increase while our missile stockpiles are depleted and basic needs go unmet. This isn't about national defense. It's about unchecked spending with no accountability. I support a strong military, but throwing money at the Pentagon without addressing waste and mismanagement doesn't make us safer. That $1.5 trillion could rebuild our infrastructure, lower healthcare costs, and invest in communities across the country. Instead, it's funding endless operations that drain resources without clear objectives or exit strategies. The Pentagon needs to prove it can manage its current budget effectively before getting another blank check. Demand detailed accounting of where every dollar goes, cut programs that don't work, and redirect savings to priorities that actually improve American lives. Our defense matters, but so does fiscal responsibility and taking care of people here at home.