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Why The Pentagon Keeps Failing Its Audit

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With a budget of over three quarters of a trillion dollars, the Pentagon has found that passing a sweeping audit is a tricky proposition. Antiquated systems, huge budgets, and the sheer size of the Department of Defense have made passing the congressionally mandated audit a towering endeavor, but one that experts say is doable in time.

The Pentagon has failed another audit this year. But with $770 billion expected to be budgeted for 2022, the Department of Defense says it is working on keeping track of all this money.

“It took the Department of Homeland Security a decade to pass its audit, and it’s a fraction of the size of the Defense Department,” said Mackenzie Eaglen, a senior fellow with the American Enterprise Institute. “There is a bit out there that just because the department can’t pass the audit, it doesn’t know where it’s spending its money. And it does. But what it doesn’t do well is track it at an enterprise level.“

Since 1988 the budget has grown from over $634 billion in 2020 dollars to over $724 billion in 2020. But, the defense budget as a percentage of the total gross domestic product has actually dropped in the same period, from 5.7% to 3.5%, according to a Congressional Research Service analysis of Office of Management and Budget historical tables.

One example of an item found in the recent audit was a Navy warehouse that was not on the Navy’s property records and that housed aircraft parts worth $126 million, according to the Government Accountability Office.

“The financial system that you have in DOD right now is set up to control taxpayers’ dollars to guarantee that there is not going to be unauthorized use of it. So every dollar and cent is accounted for,” said Frederico Bartels, a senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation. “And there, you can see that by the ADEA violations being extremely low at DOD, there are still some but that’s part of doing business, it’s still lower than most federal agencies.“

Old systems for tracking funds, a slow bureaucracy, and the sheer size of the U.S. Defense apparatus have kept audits from passing since they began in late 2017.

The size of the budget is constantly a subject of debate, but for lawmakers to make informed decisions they need good data.

“This is the Pentagon,” said Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif. “They’re responsible for the security of the United States. If, in fact, their audit systems are outdated, if … they can’t do an audit and give us a picture of what they’re spending, I kind of worry about what they’re doing on the really important stuff.“

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Why The Pentagon Keeps Failing Its Audit

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Why Warner Records is investing in South Asian artists

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Warner Music Group, the third-largest music label by market share, is tapping into the South Asian music movement with its latest venture.

CNBC’s Laya Neelakandan explains.

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How Micron’s massive buildout made Boise a boomtown

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Micron’s hometown of Boise, Idaho has a growing crop of newly minted millionaires.

The AI-driven memory boom is showing up in the form of job growth, new construction projects, a bustling dining scene and an influx in new residents.

CNBC’s Katie Tarasov explains. Find the full report in related video.

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How dating became a financial luxury

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Half of single Americans say they are going on fewer dates or choosing less expensive activities because of rising costs, according to BMO’s 2026 survey.

But, the cost of dating itself is only part of the story. For millions of users, finding a date means paying for the apps.

Watch the full story in related video.

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The Megadonors Funding The 2026 Midterms

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Billions of dollars have been raised for this year’s midterms elections, with a significant portion coming from big name tech billionaires in the cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence and online gambling sectors. Megadonors’ contributions are overwhelmingly behind Republicans in the 2026 midterm election, with 14 of the 20 largest donor groups exclusively or nearly exclusively backing GOP candidates or outside groups. CNBC’s Luke Fountain reports.

Chapters:
00:00 – 00:56 Introduction
00:57 – 03:37 Chapter 1 – Republican-aligned donors
03:38 – 05:07 Chapter 2 – Democrat-aligned donors

Reporter: Luke Fountain
Produced and Edited by: Romy Tarantino
Animation: Jason Reginato, Emily Park
Additional Camera: Macklin Fishman, Andrew Evers
Supervising Producer: Shawn Baldwin
Additional Footage: Getty Images

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The Megadonors Funding The 2026 Midterms

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Why It’s So Expensive To Run An Auto Repair Shop

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Auto repair prices have risen far faster than overall inflation. Mechanics say one key reason is the new software, parts, and safety technology. Shops are spending more on software access and safety calibration equipment. While the number of auto repair shops has grown, some who work in the business say it is getting harder to keep up, especially for smaller ones.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
02:09 Chapter 1: Complicated and expensive
04:02 Chapter 2: Access to vehicle data

Produced by: Robert Ferris
Edited and shot by: Darren Geeter, Natalie Rice
Additional Camera: Ryan Baker
Post production support: Erin Black
Animation: Jason Reginato, Emily Park
Senior managing producer: Tala Hadavi
Addition footage: Getty Images

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Why It’s So Expensive To Run An Auto Repair Shop

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