The Defense Department is pursuing that money “regardless of what happens” in the midterm elections on Nov. 3, the secretary added. Republicans hope to retain control of the House and Senate; a Democratic flip in either would all but ensure a reconciliation bill falls flat next year. [...] Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday the Pentagon plans to stand up its new drone command using money included in Republicans’ proposed reconciliation bill with no clear path to approval.

Hegseth said the Trump administration is still working with Congress to secure more than $50 billion for autonomy and robotics initiatives, which the secretary views as the Pentagon’s top priority, as part of a much larger mandatory spending bill. [...] Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hurst recently noted that, as a backup plan if the reconciliation push fails, defense officials and the Hill could try shifting the request into the base budget instead. That would likely require cuts in other areas to accommodate the higher topline, but would get the Pentagon its money in time to establish Autonomous Warfare Command by a self-imposed deadline of Oct. 1, 2027.

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