Weinberger Warns on Defense Cutbacks : But GOP Leaders Say Pentagon Must Share in Trims

Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger, citing “the growing nature of the Soviet threat,” urged congressional Republicans today not to pare the Pentagon budget, claiming it could jeopardize the coming Geneva negotiations on nuclear arms control.

But top GOP House leaders emerged from a two-hour session with the defense secretary declaring that Pentagon programs would have to take their share of budget cuts.

“You’re never going to find a secretary of defense telling you anything can be cut after he’s taken a position,” said House Minority Leader Robert H. Michel (R-Ill.). “There is a view on our side that we can make some reductions from Cap’s request.”

Previous Cuts Claimed

Weinberger, speaking briefly with reporters after the closed-door meeting but refusing to answer questions, said he told the senior House Republicans that many Pentagon programs already had been cut back in the name of fiscal belt-tightening.

“There were a lot of misunderstandings that were cleared up” at the meeting, he said. “We had a very good opportunity to go over the world situation, the growing nature of the Soviet threat, the importance of the negotiations that are just getting under way. It’s why we have to have the kind of totals we have in the budget.”

He said the best way to reduce the deficit is to get an agreement on arms control first.

Michel said that Weinberger did persuade Republicans of the importance of the arms control negotiations with the Soviet Union. “We’ve got to be very careful and cautious about what we do,” the minority leader said.

Room for Reductions

But Michel added that Weinberger’s budget request could still stand some reductions. He said the defense secretary asked for a budget reflecting a 5.7% rate of growth in fiscal 1986 over 1985.

Michel had earlier suggested that the Administration might have to accept a figure closer to 4%--and also suggested that it might have to go to this lower figure if it expects to win a congressional victory on the MX missile.

Michel said Weinberger did not respond today to his suggestion that the MX be linked to negotiations on defense reductions. “I would not have expected him to,” Michel said.

The GOP leader said that Weinberger told the meeting of Republicans that the Administration’s defense budget will seek $259 billion in outlays for the next fiscal year.

Weinberger reluctantly agreed to slice $8 billion from his budget proposal for fiscal 1986, still giving the Pentagon a hefty increase in spending.

Reagan has refused to consider further defense reductions.