‘Those Days of Yesteryear Are Over’ [WATCH]

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the Trump administration is breaking sharply from past defense practices by ending reliance on outsourced capabilities and slow-moving defense contracts, arguing that national security depends on urgency, domestic manufacturing, and a willingness to challenge long-standing procurement norms.

Hegseth criticized previous administrations for tolerating delays, cost overruns, and dependence on a small group of prime contractors, which he said weakened military readiness and slowed the delivery of critical capabilities to U.S. warfighters.

“You see, for far too long, under the previous administration, we had leaders who thought we could outsource our capabilities to other countries, or that we could live in a global environment where your skills don’t matter anymore, or we could work at the glacial pace of just a few prime contractors, and that was tolerated a world with vendor locked over budget, behind schedule, contracts,” Hegseth said.

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He contrasted that approach with what he described as the current administration’s focus on speed, accountability, and results, saying those changes are already producing measurable outcomes.

“None of those things happened here. By the way, you guys are under budget and ahead of schedule. That’s what today’s war fighter needs,” Hegseth said.

According to Hegseth, the shift reflects President Donald Trump’s broader leadership philosophy and a recognition that modern defense demands rapid execution rather than bureaucratic delay.

“And under President Trump and his leadership. Those days, those days of yesteryear, are over because we have to live in a realistic world, the realistic world where urgency matters,” he said.

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Hegseth emphasized that American military strength cannot be separated from domestic industrial capacity, warning that outsourcing production weakens national sovereignty.

“We live in a realistic world where American strength has to partner with American manufacturing. And if you don’t have both, you don’t have a free country, and you have to have world class manufacturing,” he said.

During a visit to a U.S. manufacturing facility, Hegseth pointed to what he described as unmatched industrial capabilities that can only be achieved domestically and at scale.

“Let me tell you this. Take your cameras through this factory, and what I said to mister Bezos was this might be some of the most sophisticated manufacturing the world has ever seen. That can only be done at scale in the United States of America,” Hegseth said.

He said the administration’s goal is to remove barriers that have historically slowed innovation and limited competition within the defense sector, allowing American companies to operate with greater flexibility and speed.

“We will unleash our companies, unleash industry, unleash the competitive spirit that allows America to come out on top,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth framed competitiveness and innovation as decisive factors in maintaining U.S. military dominance, arguing that confronting entrenched systems is necessary for success.

“When we compete, we win when we innovate, we win when we confront the status quo, we win,” he said.

He concluded by pointing directly to President Trump’s role in driving the administration’s defense posture, describing a leadership approach focused squarely on results.

“And I don’t know if you know this, but we have a commander in chief who’s pretty interested in winning,” Hegseth said.

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