

DEFAERO Daily Pod [Apr 01, 25] AEI's Todd Harrison
6 snips Apr 1, 2025
Todd Harrison, a defense budgeting expert at the American Enterprise Institute, dives into the intricacies of the new budget tool aimed at illustrating defense spending trade-offs. He discusses the challenge of redirecting 8% of military spending to new priorities and the potential impacts on defense strategies. The conversation also touches on ideas for consolidating Space Force headquarters, the shift towards unmanned systems, and how budget dynamics will unfold amid fiscal constraints. Harrison emphasizes thoughtful decision-making in this complex environment.
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New Budget Tool
- AEI and CSIS developed a new budget tool to analyze defense spending trade-offs.
- This tool allows for year-by-year budget rebalancing and strategy scoring.
Budget Tool Exercise
- Experts used the tool to simulate responses to Hegseth's 8% rebalance memo.
- Limited trade space led to cuts in Army force structure and special operations forces.
Net-Zero Budget Impact
- The Pentagon aims for a net-zero budget, requiring cuts to fund new priorities.
- This approach may lead to a smaller military and reduced global engagement.