War Secretary Pete Hegseth encouraged employees of the military’s largest defense contractor on Monday to “step up” amid a push by President Trump to ramp up Pentagon spending to send “a message to the world.” The war secretary’s remarks – part of his “Arsenal of Freedom” tour – come the week after Trump paired his request for a record $1.5 trillion in military spending with stinging criticism of defense contractors over CEO pay, stock dividends and purportedly being slow to fill orders. Hegseth explained that speed and efficiency in coming up with an “85% solution” rather than taking decades to find the “perfect solution” is part of what’s needed from defense contractors in order for the US to “outcompete our adversaries.”
Author: Victor Nava
Published at: 2026-01-12 23:31:24
Still want to read the full version? Full article
