--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At Concerned Veterans for America, we've…" description: "\"At Concerned Veterans for America, we've made the case that the defense budget could be targeted for spending reform, but in a targeted fashion that ge..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/pete-hegseth-22970_america_at-concerned-veterans-for-america-we-ve_3201350.jpg" --- # At Concerned Veterans for America, we've made the case… ![“At Concerned Veterans for America, we've made the case that the defense budget could be targeted for spending reform, but in a targeted fashion that genuinely changes unsustainable spending trajectories while preserving U.S. defense capacity.” quote by Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/pete-hegseth-22970_america_at-concerned-veterans-for-america-we-ve_3201350.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/pete-hegseth-22970_america_at-concerned-veterans-for-america-we-ve_3201350.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/pete-hegseth-22970_america_at-concerned-veterans-for-america-we-ve_3201350.jpg) > “At Concerned Veterans for America, we've made the case that the defense budget could be targeted for spending reform, but in a targeted fashion that genuinely changes unsustainable spending trajectories while preserving U.S. defense capacity.” [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates targeted defense spending reforms to curb unsustainable costs while maintaining military capability. **In simple terms:** Reform defense budget wisely. Key Takeaway Support focused fiscal changes. Themes defense policy budget reform national security Mood analytical concerned Type policy strategic When to use this quote - government budgeting - military procurement - policy advocacy Key Concepts fiscal responsibility strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - What spending areas can be reduced without harming defense? - How to ensure reforms are truly sustainable? A Different Perspective Balancing cuts with security needs is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Defense budget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense-budget/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Memorial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memorial/) [Memorial day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memorial-day/) [Pentagon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pentagon/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Thank you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thank-you/) [Veteran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veteran/) ## Related quotes > [The Tea Party knows that continuing to delay charting a course to spending reform hurts everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barr/the-tea-party-knows-that-continuing-to-delay-charting-a-course-to/) [Bob Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barr/) > [I have long believed there is a lot of waste in the defense budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/i-have-long-believed-there-is-a-lot-of-waste-in-the-defense-budget/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [The 'defense' budget is three quarters of a trillion dollars. Profits went up last year well over 25%. I guarantee you: when war becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalmers-johnson/the-defense-budget-is-three-quarters-of-a-trillion-dollars-profits/) [Chalmers Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalmers-johnson/) > [We need a defense budget that's big enough to sustain an increase in the size of the Army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-talent/we-need-a-defense-budget-that-s-big-enough-to-sustain-an-increase-in/) [Jim Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-talent/) > [I ask the American people to consider the legacy this administration has handed us in the defense budget as we spend billions of U.S.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/i-ask-the-american-people-to-consider-the-legacy-this-administration/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [If we can't find cuts in the defense budget, we're not looking carefully enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-huntsman-jr/if-we-can-t-find-cuts-in-the-defense-budget-we-re-not-looking/) [Jon Huntsman, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-huntsman-jr/) > [But if our nation goes over a financial Niagara, we won't have much strength and, eventually, we won't have peace. We are currently borrowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-daniels/but-if-our-nation-goes-over-a-financial-niagara-we-won-t-have-much/) [Mitch Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-daniels/) > [The defense budget is more than a piggy bank for people who want to get busy beating swords into pork barrels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-defense-budget-is-more-than-a-piggy-bank-for-people-who-want-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The reality is, the United States has global interests. Our defense budget is about the same as the defense budgets or military budgets of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/the-reality-is-the-united-states-has-global-interests-our-defense/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) has called for an audit of the Pentagon, so that we finally have some transparency and accountability in how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/concerned-veterans-for-america-cva-has-called-for-an-audit-of-the/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [Defense leaders should be searching for ways to reform out-of-date procurement processes, to collapse layers of Pentagon bureaucracy, and to restrain the growth in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/defense-leaders-should-be-searching-for-ways-to-reform-out-of-date/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [Only those who are ideologically opposed to military programs think of the defense budget as the first and best place to get resources for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-kahn/only-those-who-are-ideologically-opposed-to-military-programs-think/) [Herman Kahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-kahn/) > [You don't have to be a veteran to know that the defense budget is out of control when you have a trillion-dollar fighter jet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-veteran-to-know-that-the-defense-budget-is-out/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [When you cut a half-a-trillion dollars from the defense budget, it affects almost every area in the defense budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/when-you-cut-a-half-a-trillion-dollars-from-the-defense-budget-it/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) ## More by Pete Hegseth > [Military deployments have never been something to enjoy, but the consequence of the actions, the shared nature of the sacrifices, and the nobility of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/military-deployments-have-never-been-something-to-enjoy-but-the/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [As the publisher of the 'Tory,' I strive to defend the pillars of Western civilization against the distractions of diversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/as-the-publisher-of-the-tory-i-strive-to-defend-the-pillars-of/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [In the 360-degree battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, women have served honorably and fought valiantly. Yet there is a key difference between being in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/in-the-360-degree-battlefields-of-iraq-and-afghanistan-women-have/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [The choices Israelis face and the decisions they make, day in and day out, are literally the difference between life and death. In many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/the-choices-israelis-face-and-the-decisions-they-make-day-in-and-day/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [The incremental approach without a strategy doesn't improve the strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/the-incremental-approach-without-a-strategy-doesn-t-improve-the/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [As an observer, I react to the realities of Israeli life with both envy and relief. Nobody wants to live under the threat of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/as-an-observer-i-react-to-the-realities-of-israeli-life-with-both/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [Whether we like it or not, gender differences matter in a combat situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/whether-we-like-it-or-not-gender-differences-matter-in-a-combat/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [President Lincoln chose to fight a bloody and unpopular war because he believed the enemy had to be defeated. He was right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/president-lincoln-chose-to-fight-a-bloody-and-unpopular-war-because/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [Congress will be tempted to wipe their hands of this, go to the Election Day and say 'we've done our part' and that's where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/congress-will-be-tempted-to-wipe-their-hands-of-this-go-to-the/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) has called for an audit of the Pentagon, so that we finally have some transparency and accountability in how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/concerned-veterans-for-america-cva-has-called-for-an-audit-of-the/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [With the winding down of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States now has an opportunity to implement real defense reforms without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/with-the-winding-down-of-the-conflicts-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-the/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [Peace through strength works; but the flip side is war invited by weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/peace-through-strength-works-but-the-flip-side-is-war-invited-by/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [I think standing and fighting and working alongside all of these people that raise their right hand and serve their nation... really wipes away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/i-think-standing-and-fighting-and-working-alongside-all-of-these/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [The historic nature of Israel's struggle for self-determination, freedom, and prosperity underscores the gravity of their circumstances and fortifies my commitment to America's responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/the-historic-nature-of-israel-s-struggle-for-self-determination/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [Political correctness is a poison to our security and defenses. It imposes a willful blindness, both at the macro level when unwilling to engage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/political-correctness-is-a-poison-to-our-security-and-defenses-it/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) [Explore all 26 Pete Hegseth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At Concerned Veterans for America, we've made the case that the defense budget could be targeted for spending reform, but in a targeted fashion that genuinely changes unsustainable spending trajectories while preserving U.S. defense capacity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pete Hegseth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/at-concerned-veterans-for-america-we-ve-made-the-case-that-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/at-concerned-veterans-for-america-we-ve-made-the-case-that-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/pete-hegseth-22970_america_at-concerned-veterans-for-america-we-ve_3201350.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/pete-hegseth-22970_america_at-concerned-veterans-for-america-we-ve_3201350.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/pete-hegseth-22970_america_at-concerned-veterans-for-america-we-ve_3201350.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“At Concerned Veterans for America, we've made the case that the defense budget could be targeted for…” — Pete Hegseth", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Pete Hegseth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "At Concerned Veterans for America, we've...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/at-concerned-veterans-for-america-we-ve-made-the-case-that-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/at-concerned-veterans-for-america-we-ve-made-the-case-that-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```