The criticism, delivered in a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, marks a rare public break between the White House and its own party on defense spending.
The Republican lawmakers, led by Representative Mike Garcia of California, argued that the funding pause would disrupt critical infrastructure for troops stationed overseas and at domestic bases. The letter specifically targeted a proposed 10 percent cut to the military construction budget, a move the administration has framed as part of a broader effort to rein in federal spending.
“This approach is shortsighted and puts our service members at risk,” the lawmakers wrote, according to a copy of the correspondence obtained by The Chronicle Page. They urged the Pentagon to reverse the freeze, which they said was implemented without sufficient consultation with Congress or military commanders in the field.
The dispute centers on the Pentagon’s 2026 budget request, which includes a $2.5 billion reduction in military construction funding compared to current levels. White House budget officials have defended the cuts as necessary to eliminate waste, pointing to a Government Accountability Office report that found dozens of projects were over budget or behind schedule.
Growing Unease on Capitol Hill
But the House Republican pushback signals deepening unease within the party over the administration’s unilateral approach to defense policy. Several of the signatories, including Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska, a retired Air Force brigadier general, have privately expressed frustration that the White House is bypassing traditional oversight channels.
“You cannot just freeze money for barracks and hangars without telling anyone and expect it to be fine,” one senior GOP aide said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The aide added that the letter was intended to serve as a “shot across the bow” ahead of the upcoming appropriations cycle.
The Pentagon has not yet issued a formal response to the letter, but officials have signaled they are open to negotiations. Defense Secretary Hegseth is expected to testify before the House Armed Services Committee next month, where the funding freeze is likely to dominate questioning.
For now, the standoff underscores a growing tension between the Trump administration’s desire for fiscal austerity and the military’s stated need for modernized facilities. As one lawmaker put it, the debate is no longer about policy details but about who gets to decide how the nation’s defense dollars are spent.
