Championing Responsible National Security Policy

The Problem

Pentagon leaders are tasked with forming a national security strategy that will keep Americans safe. Yet too often, they make national security decisions that aren’t in the best interests of the military or the American people. The Pentagon budget is chock-full of waste, new weapons systems are so complicated they don’t actually work, and service members don’t always get what they need to stay safe and healthy. Pentagon decision-making is too easily influenced by corporate interests looking to profit from defense spending, rather than by those who know what we need to keep us safe. We’re pushing for a national security strategy and budget that give our troops the support they need, address real threats in a pragmatic way, and put people over profit.

Collage of soldiers in formation, the Pentagon building, and crowds in front of the U.S. Capitol building

Our Priorities

To ensure a sensible defense strategy in the U.S., we are focused on three core priorities: a Pentagon budget that makes us safer, military effectiveness, and the health and safety of service members.

Building a Pentagon Budget that Makes Us Safer

Nearly every year, leaders in Washington pass record-breaking defense budgets, but the Pentagon has failed to invest those dollars wisely. We’re advocating for a national security budget that prioritizes the nation’s needs over defense contractor profits.

Collage of a group of children, U.S. money, a group of saluting soldiers, and the Pentagon building

Enhancing Military Effectiveness

Pentagon leaders keep purchasing overpriced weapons systems that don’t actually work. We’re pushing for a more intentional strategy, one that ensures troops get the equipment they need.

Collage of running soldiers in combat fatigues, a line of military vehicles, and an A-10 aircraft

Ensuring the Health and Safety of Service Members

Despite routinely asking for increases to the Pentagon budget, military leaders are consistently failing to ensure service members have what they need to stay safe and healthy. We’re urging the Pentagon to better prioritize service members’ health and safety.

Collage of individual soldiers in uniform and a map of the United States

What's at Stake?

The Pentagon Won’t Stop Wasting Taxpayer Dollars

The Pentagon can’t keep track of its own spending. Taxpayers should not have to keep footing exorbitant defense bills when we don’t even know where our dollars are going.

A Bad Pentagon Deal Left Some Military Families in Unsafe Housing

After the military turned over maintenance to private landlords, some service members and their families were stuck in housing they say made them sick — and left with little recourse.

The Pentagon Is Preparing for the Wrong Conflicts

Defense hawks have been pushing the Pentagon for years to prepare for war with China. But military leaders are gearing up for the wrong kind of threat, and their approach could risk escalating the situation.