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Trump rejects Pentagon's proposal to cut military healthcare by $2.2 billion

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Aug 18, 2020, 02:53 PM IST
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Photograph:(Reuters)

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Around 9.5 million active-duty personnel, military retirees and their families depend on the military health system. The military's government-run healthcare network operates hundreds of facilities around the world.

US President Donald Trump has rejected Pentagon's proposal to cut military healthcare by $2.2 billion on Monday. 

According to Politico's report, authorities in Pentagon who were working on Defense Secretary Mark Esper's cost-cutting review of the US Defense Department had proposed slashing military healthcare by $2.2 billion.

"A proposal by Pentagon officials to slash Military Healthcare by $2.2 billion dollars has been firmly and totally rejected by me. We will do nothing to hurt our great Military professionals & heroes as long as I am your President," Trump said in a tweet. 

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As per Politico's report, the cut in military healthcare for over the next five years came as part of an effort by Esper that started last year intending to eliminate inefficiencies within the Pentagon's coffers. However, the senior defence officials said that such cuts would have hurt the healthcare of millions of military personnel and their families amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Around 9.5 million active-duty personnel, military retirees and their families depend on the military health system. The military's government-run healthcare network operates hundreds of facilities around the world.

Last week, Reuters reported that Trump had privately discussed with advisers the possibility of replacing Esper after the November election following a growing number of differences between them.

(Inputs from Reuters)