UPDATED Feb 20, 2025, 07:00 AM Washington - The Trump administration has ordered senior US military leaders to plan for expansive cuts that could slash the defence budget by 8 per cent annually, or some US$290 billion (S$390 billion) within the next five years, US media reported on Feb 19. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told the Pentagon to develop the deep reductions, The Washington Post reported, citing a memo. The Pentagon’s budget for 2025 is some US$850 billion. Lawmakers across the political spectrum agree that the massive spending is needed to deter threats, especially from China and Russia. The cuts,...