The U.S. Department of Defense has paused new Army contract awards as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reviews procurement priorities under the Trump administration.
The decision, first reported by Bloomberg, was ordered shortly after Hegseth’s appointment on January 25. It applies to all new contracts and solicitations, except those directly tied to readiness, modernization, and personnel needs.
According to the report, the review could last from 10 days to several months, though no official timeline has been provided.
A notice posted on the federal contracting database SAM.gov stated that the U.S. Contracting Command had been instructed to halt all contracting actions until further notice. The notice has since been removed, but an Army official confirmed that a pause is in effect while policies are aligned with new leadership.
“The Army is currently conducting a review of existing solicitations and awards to ensure alignment with incoming leadership’s policies. We remain committed to transparency and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” said Army spokesperson Ellen Lovett.
A source cited by Breaking Defense said the review could result in canceled or modified contracts.
“In the context of this review, some existing contracts may be modified or cancelled and others may be increased,” an army source told Breaking Defense. “This level of agility is vital to ensure our Army is responsive to and in full support of achieving peace through strength.”
The Pentagon has yet to comment on the matter.
