Pete Hegseth begins nationwide “Arsenal of Freedom Tour” to back U.S. defence industrial base

Addressing workers, Hegseth said the tour would span “from the shipyards of the coast to the factories of the heartland” to highlight efforts by the military and manufacturers “to usher in a new golden age of peace through strength — a revival of our industrial base — all-American, made by the best Americans”. He added that national freedoms depend on a strong defence arsenal and told the crowd: “So, I’m here to thank you — the men and women assembled here today, and those you represent — who are designing and constructing our weapons of war that my children and yours, my grandchildren and yours, will rely upon to ensure the peace, stability and security of the United States.”

Hegseth warned against what he described as decades of bipartisan belief that defence industrial strength was no longer essential, noting that some had viewed competitors such as China as “a relic of the past”. “Not anymore,” he said, adding, “We recognize that we are in a new era of great power competition; a generational struggle to maintain peace through strength, and we will rise to meet that challenge.”

He said the Pentagon is pursuing a department-wide revival focused on action rather than policy debates, stating: “We’re deploying cutting-edge technologies at a speed that’s not been seen in generations, and we’re making historic, multigenerational investments in the capabilities that we will need to dominate the future fight at a level of urgency that must match the urgency of the moment.” According to Hegseth, these capabilities are reaching warfighters faster than at any time since the Second World War.

On the defence industrial base specifically, Hegseth said the coming “industrial renaissance” would no longer reward delays, tolerate cost overruns, or support programmes years behind schedule. He stressed that competition would be encouraged, adding: “For those who can’t adapt — who are too comfortable in the old, slow way of doing business — we wish them well in their new endeavors, because we will find new partners who will adapt, who will invest, who will take care of their people [and] who will move at speed and at scale.”

Concluding his remarks, Hegseth thanked all those contributing to national defence, saying: “I want you to know that whether you’re wearing a uniform, coveralls or a suit, the work you’re doing is important; it’s patriotic and essential to our nation; it is a noble calling in a world that has forgotten what nobility looks like.” Earlier in the day, he administered the oath of enlistment to 30 new recruits, telling them and their families: “What we care about at the War Department are the real men and women who do the real work in uniform for the American people,” before adding, “God bless you [and] God bless your families that raised you right to give you the perspective that brought you here today.”