Hegseth Lauds New American Golden Age During Arsenal of Freedom Tour Stop

View Online Hegseth Lauds New American Golden Age During Arsenal of Freedom Tour Stop Oct. 20, 2026 |  By Matthew Olay During the second of two stops on his Arsenal of Freedom tour today, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised the progress the U.S. and its defense industrial base have made over the past two years under President Donald J. Trump's administration. He spoke to the media after visiting Riverside Machine and Engineering in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. "Under President Trump, it truly is a golden age of American manufacturing, where supply chains are coming home [and] production's coming home. They're able to make things here [in the U.S.], and it's more high quality for us when it is," Hegseth said, adding that being able to rely on U.S.-based defense manufacturing is what the Arsenal of Freedom tour is meant to showcase. Speaking to a group of the facility's workers, Hegseth made clear that he views those who help build up the industrial base as part of the overall tactical "kill chain" that the military relies on to defeat the enemy. "You're part of the reality of how our warfighters get what they need on the front lines; you are shoulder to shoulder with them," he said. "It's helmets and hard hats together; and — ultimately — the arsenal of freedom is about you," he added. Hegseth emphasized the importance of workers like those who were in the crowd and how they are directly tied to the military's success. He said he had just returned from a visit to U.S. Central Command's area of operations in the Middle East, and the service members on the ground there supporting Operation Epic Fury rely on materiel produced in Wisconsin. "[The deployed service members] have confidence in each other, and they should because they're the most well-trained troops on planet Earth. But they also have confidence in the systems that they've been provided; the very same systems that you've put parts into every single day, right here," Hegseth said. He noted that those same service members know their equipment will work when it matters. "Because you made the investment time and time again, and those things working when it matters began with somebody on the shop floor clocking in, kicking off the assembly line [and] putting in the long hours needed to get the job done," Hegseth told the group. As the secretary wound down his remarks, he thanked the workers for their labor and ingenuity. He assured them they will always have the support of the president and himself as companies like Riverside continue to build up the country's defense industrial base. "You are helping to restore our nation's strength, heal our defense industrial base and ensure that, for generations, America remains the strongest military in human history," Hegseth said. "We're going to keep applying good old-fashioned Wisconsin common sense, and we are never going to apologize for being proud of our warfighters in this great republic that is now 250 years young. May we fight for it [and] defend it for 250 more," he concluded. Hegseth initially launched the Arsenal of Freedom tour in early January. Since then, the tour has made more than a dozen stops throughout the U.S. The label "Arsenal of Freedom" harkens back to the Arsenal of Democracy: America's massive, pre-World War II industrial mobilization to produce the ships, aircraft, weapons and additional materiel needed to arm the country and its Allies.

ABOUT   NEWS   HELP CENTER   PRESS PRODUCTS

Unsubscribe | Contact Us

 

This email was sent to sajanram1986.channel@blogger.com using Granicus Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. Department of War 1400 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1400

DOW Featured Photos

Setting the Standard Marine Corps Sgt. Jessica Stout shouts commands to recruits during an incentive training session at ... Photo Details > Take Aim Marine Corps Sgt. Evan Fivecoat conducts transition drills with an M4 service carbine aboard the amp... Photo Details > Step-Up Ceremony Army Lt. Col. Joe Thompson, executive officer of the Medical Readiness Battalion, participates in a ... Photo Details > Fight Night Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), known as th... Photo Details > Coloring the Sky Soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army Parachute Team, known as the Golden Knights, jump during the Sky ... Photo Details > Stars, Stripes & Firepower The guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones fires an MK 45 5-inch gun during a live-fire exerci... Photo Details > Keen Mobility A Marine Corps KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft delivers an Army M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket ... Photo Details > Watching the Wings Marine Corps Warrant Officer Patrick Ames, left, and Sgt. Nicolas Cisneros Jr. watch incoming aircra... Photo Details > All Photos

ABOUT   NEWS   HELP CENTER   PRESS PRODUCTS

Unsubscribe | Contact Us

This email was sent to sajanram1986.channel@blogger.com using Granicus Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. Department of War 1400 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1400

Today in DOW: Oct. 20, 2026

Today in DOW: Oct. 20, 2026 Open Press Events Secretary of War The secretary travels to Dayton, Ohio, and Eau Claire, Wisconsin, as part of the Arsenal of Freedom Tour. In Dayton, Secretary Hegseth will visit SNC to deliver remarks to the workforce,...   Read More > Deputy Secretary of War The deputy secretary has no public or media events on his schedule.   Read More > Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff The chairman has no public or media events on his schedule.   Read More > Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff The vice chairman has no public or media events on his schedule.   Read More > Additional Open Press Events Commanding General, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense and Joint Task Force-Gold LTG John Rafferty gives a...   Read More > View All Postings   Contacts Additions and corrections for Today in DOW are invited and should be directed to the press desk by calling +1 (703) 697-5131 or +1 (703) 697-5132. For additional media information click here. Public Inquiries Contact us for more information, if you have questions or for technical support. Media Questions News media representatives with questions for the Department of War may reach our press desk by calling +1 (703) 697-5131. Duty Officer A public affairs duty officer is available 24 hours a day through +1 (703) 697-5131.

ABOUT   NEWS   HELP CENTER   PRESS PRODUCTS

Unsubscribe | Contact Us

This email was sent to sajanram1986.channel@blogger.com using Granicus Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. Department of War 1400 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1400

New Loeries Youth Committee Chair | Pick n Pay's Collectaboks returns

All the National Film & TV Awards South Africa 2026 nominees

Marketing & Media Tue 20 October 2026 ALL INDUSTRIES  | COMPANIES  | JOBS  | EVENTS  | SUBMIT NEWS  | ADVERTISE  | FOLLOW  | MY ACCOUNT  | SUBSCRIBE  |  UNSUBSCRIBE VML Birdwatching at the Loeries | Lwazi Nene, new Loeries Youth Committee Chair: Tapping into African creativity DANETTE BREITENBACH Lwazi Nene, copywriter M&C Saatchi Abel, Up & UP Group, is the Loeries Youth Committee Chair for 2026 2028... Read more Springbok Women join Pick n Pay’s Collectaboks Pick n Pay’s Collectaboks returns with 67 cards, Springbok Women, rugby legends and six rare holographic cards that guarantee collectors a prize... read The Polygamist leads the National Film & TV Awards South Africa 2026 nominees The National Film & TV Awards South Africa has announced its 2026 nominees... read Primedia merges content and technology, ushering in a new era of audience engagement At a pivotal event held at its Sandton headquarters last week, Primedia welcomed key clients, agencies and industry leaders to reveal the next steps in its journey towards becoming a media tech company... read Artificial Intelligence AI isn’t replacing project managers. It is raising the bar for them TANYA LILLEY, ISSUED BY BRANDTECH+ As AI transforms the workplace, some of the professionals whose businesses increasingly depend on are questioning whether their roles will remain relevant... Read Design Beyond the Pixel-Pusher Tax: Why strategic design should start on Day 0 PHOEBE OPPERMAN AND AJ VAN DEN HEEVER, ISSUED BY DUO MARKETING + COMMUNICATIONS In most organisations, design is still treated as the final stop on the conveyor belt, a tactical coat of paint applied after decisions are already finalised. That is an expensive operational mistake... Read Education KFC’s Streetwise Academy puts skills development on the menu KFC Africa’s Streetwise Academy has graduated 101 employees in 2026... Read Marketing Research shows the in-house versus agency debate is becoming less useful House Or Agency? The answer is in the mix, according to research from the Independent Agency Search & Selection Company... read Retail The View officially opens in Fourways ISSUED BY EBM GROUP Fourways Mall unveils The View, its new premium lifestyle destination... Read Business No room for inaction: Manamela warns Setas under administration to fix control weaknesses Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela demands strict accountability and financial reform from Ceta and Services Seta to fix governance failures before their administration ends in 2027... Read Transnet Freight Rail sets record with 696-wagon iron ore train The 696-wagon iron ore train trial assessed train dynamics and locomotive positioning, with performance data to inform future freight rail operations... Read Featured Press Office of the day More   |   Join Oliver Oliver, creating bespoke onsite creative teams to suit any client. Supported by a network of global creatives. Part of the Inside Ideas Group. Contact  |  News  |  VISIT PRESS OFFICE  |  @OLIVER_Agency  |  Linkedin Jobs offered Journalism Graduate - Centurion Broad Media is offering a 3-month journalism graduate programme that pays R20,000 per month. If you love the news and writing, this programme is for you. Read more >> Receptionist / Personal Assistant - Bryanston BCCSA Registrar - Johannesburg Content Creator and Social Media Coordinator - Cape Town TV Content Sales Executive - Bryanston Digital Account Manager - Cape Town Freelance B2B Sales Trainer: - Cape Town Marketing Manager - Cape Town Head of Agency - Cape Town More jobs   Submit a job   Customise jobs FOLLOW US Submit news Submit op-ed Submit job ad List company My Account My job ads My CV My job alerts My Profile My company Submit event My events Advertising: We welcome your sales enquiries! Email sales and read more about our advertising rates 3rd Floor, 62 Roeland St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa. Tel +27 (0)21 404 1460 © 2026 bizcommunity.com. All rights reserved. Unsubscribe. Manage subscription. Subscribe. Change email. Change frequency to WEEKLY.