RT reported that in a recent statement, US President Donald Trump expressed his desire to meet future leaders of Russia and China. When the situation is stable, I will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said.
It is expected that during a meeting with senior leaders of the two powers mentioned, Mr. Trump will talk about the possibility of cutting the defense budget in the context of the new US administration promoting cost-saving measures.
There is no reason for us to spend nearly $1 billion on the military, Trump said. I want to reduce half of the defense budget.
This has caused US defense stocks to plummet this week. According to trading data on February 14, stocks of major arms manufacturing groups, including lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics, fell by about 5 to 7%.
Currently, the US annual defense spending is at 1 billion USD, equivalent to 3.4% of GDP. If cut by half, that would be around $500 million, down 3% of GDP - something Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insists he does not want to happen.
In contrast, Elon Musk and the Department of Performance and Government (DOGE) are taking on the task of cutting the federal budget, including defense spending. This shows that the new US administration has many mixed signals about military investment.
In recent days, President Trump has also made many clear moves in resolving the conflict in Ukraine, as there have been continuous phone calls not only between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin but also between senior leaders of Russia and the US.
Also according to RT, if the conflict in Ukraine ends, Washington's arms sales may decline significantly. Major US arms corporations such as lockheed Martin are said to have benefited greatly since Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine in 2022.
lockheed Martin - the main manufacturer of F-16 fighters and patriot missile systems often deployed in Ukraine - recorded a 21% increase in revenue in 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.
There have been no immediate comments from Russia or China.
However, Moscow has repeatedly criticized the US arms industry for increasing global instability. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said that huge profits have further fueled defense companies in armed conflict.
