The Pentagon has once again failed its audit, marking the seventh year in a row it has been unable to account for the full scope of its $824 billion budget. The audit, which cost taxpayers $178 million, revealed significant deficiencies in the Department of Defense’s financial oversight, leading to renewed concerns about the management of taxpayer dollars.
Out of 28 entities undergoing financial audits, only nine received an unmodified audit opinion, indicating full financial reliability. The remaining entities either received qualified opinions, meaning there were minor issues, or disclaimers of opinion, meaning auditors could not properly assess the financials due to missing or insufficient information.
The Pentagon failed its 7th straight audit. Our healthcare system siphons billions into waste & fraud. Our Dept of Education blows $$ without accountability. Unelected bureaucrats are the core problem. DOGE is coming. pic.twitter.com/OmtP81i3ch
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) November 17, 2024
Despite the continued failure, Pentagon officials, including Comptroller Michael McCord, remain optimistic, claiming that the department is making progress and that an unmodified audit opinion is achievable by 2028. McCord emphasized that the DoD has “turned a corner” in its efforts to understand and address the scope of its financial challenges. He credited the department’s “momentum” to strong leadership, particularly from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Who else thinks Pete Hegseth will find out why the Pentagon cannot pass an audit?
There should be accountability for $824 billion dollar budget. pic.twitter.com/jbTqd0Rpn8
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) November 17, 2024
However, this optimism has done little to quell the frustration among taxpayers, many of whom are footing the bill for the $824 billion defense budget. Critics argue that the Pentagon’s inability to account for such a large budget calls into question its commitment to financial transparency and accountability. With billions of taxpayer dollars unaccounted for, the failure to pass the audit raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of DoD spending.
🚨Joe Rogan laughs hysterically when he realizes the Pentagon has never passed an audit:
"How many times have they missed their audit? WAIT, THEY'VE NEVER PASSED AN AUDIT? REALLY? NEVER?" 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/aH6aYYuAJ1
— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) November 17, 2024
Some say it was legit.
Some say it was staged.
Some say it was humiliation ritual.But I found it wild that the most anticipated fight of the year just happened to be on the same day the Pentagon failed yet another audit. pic.twitter.com/tTMz7cdcbC
— Shipwreck (@shipwreckshow) November 16, 2024
The issue has also attracted attention from the newly appointed heads of the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who are tasked with cutting down government waste under the incoming Trump-Vance administration. Musk, in typical fashion, tweeted that the Pentagon’s audit issues were “a job for DOGE,” referencing his cryptocurrency.
The dismissiveness of Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks in this clip is simply astounding. Jon Stewart points out the Pentagon keeps failing its audits & she literally tries to laugh it off. This is the entrenched mentality the next SecDef will face.pic.twitter.com/2PGjZuxsRC
— Jerry Dunleavy IV 🇺🇸 (@JerryDunleavy) November 16, 2024
As the Pentagon works toward its goal of passing an audit by 2028, many are questioning whether the department’s current approach to financial management is sufficient or whether more drastic changes are necessary. The continued failure of the audit underscores the need for greater oversight and accountability within the Department of Defense.
