The United States has been facing a lot of criticism lately for its involvement in various wars and military conflicts. Some people have even gone so far as to say that the country is running out of weapons. Well, the new secretary of defense, James Mattis, has a warning for those people: the U.S. may soon run out of weapons if it doesn't stop using them so much. In a speech to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Mattis said that the country's "inventory is not only being depleted" but that "it is not being replaced." He went on to say that the U.S. needs to "rebuild its military power" if it wants to be able to effectively defend itself in the future.
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The U.S. may not have enough weapons to defend itself against China and Russia, the new secretary of the Army warns.
The United States may not have enough weapons to defend itself against China and Russia, the new secretary of the Army warns. In an interview with CBS News' "Face the Nation" that aired Sunday, Mark Esper said the U.S. is "outgunned" and "outranged" by the two countries. "We have to do better," Esper said. "I believe that we will have to grow the size of the Army in order to meet the national defense strategy." The U.S. has been working to modernize its weapons systems, but Esper said it's not enough. "We have to do it faster, and we have to do it bigger," he said. Esper's comments come as the Trump administration is considering a major increase in defense spending. The president is expected to ask Congress for an additional $8 billion for the Pentagon in his 2020 budget request, which will be released Monday.
In a candid assessment of the military's readiness, Mark Esper told senators Tuesday that the Pentagon's budget request for 2020 does not adequately fund the Army's needs.
The Army's $182 billion budget request for 2020 is $9 billion short of what the service says it needs to maintain its current force and readiness levels, Army Secretary Mark Esper told senators Tuesday.
"The Army cannot continue to run at the pace it is currently running and expect to sustain the readiness levels that we need," Esper said during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Esper's testimony comes as the Pentagon is preparing to release its budget request for 2020, which is expected to be about $733 billion. The Trump administration has already signaled its intention to increase defense spending by $34 billion above the 2019 budget.
The Army's share of that increase is expected to be about $5 billion, which Esper said is "not enough."
"We are still going to be very challenged in 2020," he said. "I would argue that we're not out of the woods yet."
The Army has been struggling to meet its readiness goals in recent years, due in part to budget constraints and an increasing number of deployments. In his testimony, Esper warned that the situation could get worse if the Army does not receive adequate funding.
"If we don't get the resources we need, I fear that the Army will be forced to make some very tough choices in the years ahead," he said.
"I'm concerned that we are not on a path to ensure that we will have sufficient capability in the future," Esper said.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper warned on Thursday that the United States may not have enough weapons to defend itself in the future, saying he was concerned about the country's ability to keep up with China and Russia.
"I'm concerned that we are not on a path to ensure that we will have sufficient capability in the future," Esper said at a meeting of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Esper's comments come as the United States is facing an array of challenges, including a more assertive China and a resurgent Russia. The Trump administration has been seeking to increase defense spending to rebuild the military after years of budget cuts.
The United States currently has the world's most powerful military, but Esper said it was "not invulnerable."
"We must address these challenges head-on if we are to maintain our military superiority and remain the preeminent power in the world," he said.
Esper's remarks come as the Trump administration is preparing to release its 2021 budget proposal, which is expected to include a significant increase in defense spending. The administration is also considering a major reorganization of the Pentagon that would focus on great power competition with China and Russia.
"I think we have to do more with less, and that means making some tough choices."
In a recent interview, new U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper warned that the United States may soon run out of weapons to defend itself. "I think we have to do more with less, and that means making some tough choices," Esper said.
The Secretary's comments come as the U.S. military is facing a number of challenges, including budget cuts and a potential conflict with Iran. In addition, the U.S. is also dealing with an ongoing trade war with China, which has led to the Chinese military increasing its own budget.
Despite these challenges, Esper said that he is confident in the U.S. military's ability to protect the country. "I am confident that we will always have the best-trained, best-equipped and most ready military in the world," he said. "That is our number one priority."
The United States has the largest and most technologically advanced military in the world, but it is facing a number of challenges that could impact its ability to defend the country in the future. With budget cuts and a potential conflict with Iran on the horizon, the U.S. military will need to be prepared to do more with less in order to protect the country.
Esper's remarks come as the Trump administration is seeking a $733 billion defense budget for 2020, an increase of $17 billion from
In his first public remarks since taking office, new Secretary of Defense Mark Esper warned that the United States may run out of weapons if it does not increase its defense budget. Esper's remarks come as the Trump administration is seeking a $733 billion defense budget for 2020, an increase of $17 billion from 2019. The proposed budget includes $718 billion for the Pentagon and $15 billion for the Department of Energy's nuclear weapons program. The Trump administration has also proposed a $2 billion increase for the Department of Homeland Security.