Trending Now - Army Faces Training Reductions Amid Budget Shortfalls

WHO:

Alternet - U.S. Army, President Trump, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Congressional Budget Office, Col. Marty Meiners (Army spokesperson), Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.)

ABC News - U.S. Army, III Armored Corps

WHAT:

Alternet - The U.S. Army is facing a budget shortfall of between $4 billion to $6 billion.

ABC News - The Army is cutting training costs across broad swaths of the force, leading to abrupt cancellations and aggressive spending scrutiny.

ABC News - The III Armored Corps is expected to bear the brunt of the training cuts, with aviation units deploying at "a lower state of readiness."

ABC News - The Army's Sapper Course and an artillery course at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, were canceled.

WHERE:

ABC News - The ongoing deployment in Washington, D.C., is projected to cost roughly $1.1 billion this year.

ABC News - Fort Campbell, Kentucky, is the location of the canceled artillery course.

WHEN:

ABC News - The fiscal year ends on September 30.

ABC News - The III Armored Corps is expected to deploy next year.

WHY:

Alternet - The budget shortfall is attributed to rising operational demands, costs associated with the Iran war, and an expanding mission at the southern U.S. border.

ABC News - The Army is absorbing ballooning personnel expenses and covering missions tied to Department of Homeland Security funding lapses.

HOW:

ABC News - The Army is implementing cuts that include slashing roughly half of the III Armored Corps' budget and reducing pilots' flight hours to minimum mandatory levels.

ABC News - Army commanders are prioritizing critical readiness and operational requirements within current funding levels.

(UPDATED May 13, 2026 13:43 UTC)

The U.S. Army is grappling with a significant budget shortfall estimated between $4 billion and $6 billion, prompting cuts to training costs across various units, including the III Armored Corps, which will face reduced readiness levels. As a result, the Army has canceled programs such as the Sapper Course and an artillery course at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, while the ongoing deployment in Washington, D.C., is projected to cost around $1.1 billion this year. This financial strain is largely due to rising operational demands, expenses related to the Iran war, and the need to support missions linked to Department of Homeland Security funding lapses, leading commanders to prioritize critical readiness within the limited budget.