The Pentagon is gutting the team that tests AI and weapons systems
The Trump administration’s legacy of aggressive federal budget cuts continues under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has slashed the Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOTE)—the Pentagon’s key safety and performance oversight body for weapons and AI systems—by half. Justified as a move to streamline bureaucracy and increase "lethality," the cuts eliminate nearly 50 staff, replace the director, and give the office just seven days to comply. Critics warn this weakens a critical, historically bipartisan safeguard that ensures military tech performs as promised before field deployment. As the Pentagon rapidly embraces advanced AI—often prone to errors and complex behaviors—concerns are growing that without DOTE’s rigorous and independent testing, safety, effectiveness, and accountability will suffer, potentially favoring companies with political ties over military readiness.