Pentagon Has Long Way to Go, Until 2027, to Reach Clean Audit

The Defense Department will need at least another seven years until it can produce a clean audit of how U.S. taxpayer money is spent, a Pentagon official said.

The Pentagon has plans to get to a clean audit opinion by about 2027, Thomas Harker, who is performing the duties of Defense Department Comptroller, told reporters Monday.

The latest review of the Pentagon’s books cost about $203 million in auditing fees, not including the cost of business improvements related to the audit. Last year the overall cost was $900 million, but an exact amount is not yet available for 2020.

“As ...