Washington, Jan 6 (NationPress) - In a bold move, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has initiated a month-long “Arsenal of Freedom Tour,” revealing an extensive agenda aimed at enhancing shipbuilding, reforming defense procurement, and strengthening military capabilities as the Trump administration strives to restore American dominance and deterrent power.

During a speech at Newport News Shipyard in Virginia, Hegseth emphasized that the administration is ready to swiftly invest in the maritime industrial sector, identifying shipyard workers and military personnel as vital to national security. “We’re in the strength business,” he asserted. “You are in the strength business.”

Hegseth indicated that this tour would take senior officials from shipyards to factories nationwide, showcasing what he termed a resurgence in American manufacturing and military preparedness under President Donald Trump.

He outlined the administration's guiding principles, which include prioritizing “America and Americans first,” advocating “peace through strength,” and rejecting what he referred to as a phase of “managed decline” in US industrial and military capabilities.

“A nation that cannot build things… is a nation that is in managed decline,” Hegseth remarked, asserting that Trump has “rejected it” and “unleashed a great American revival.”

He highlighted a “historic recruiting surge” within the Department of War, noting unprecedented interest from Americans wanting to enlist. “Last year was a record of multiple decades,” he noted. “This year, we’re already ahead of last year.”

Elaborating on the military agenda, Hegseth stated that the first goal is to restore the “warrior ethos” in the armed forces, focusing on standards, discipline, training, and lethality.

The second priority is the modernization of the military with advanced equipment and leadership, indicating “historic investments over a trillion” dollars in the latest defense budget. The third objective is to reestablish deterrence to a level so robust that adversaries would think twice before challenging the United States.

Hegseth criticized the previous administration's management of international conflicts, including the US exit from Afghanistan and conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, expressing that these actions cast doubt on American strength. “The world started wondering whether America really was strong and whether America really could lead,” he stated. “Well, that’s over now.”

He pointed to recent US actions against the Houthis, Iran, and drug trafficking networks as proof of renewed deterrence. Regarding a recent operation in Venezuela, Hegseth mentioned that US forces executed a mission in Caracas to apprehend an individual wanted by American authorities “without a single American killed.”

During his address, the Secretary of War underscored the administration's recent announcement of the “Golden Fleet,” which he described as a significant investment to enhance the Navy’s shipbuilding capability and maintain maritime supremacy. This initiative aims to introduce a new generation of “Trump-class battleships” and increase submarine production, he noted.

“This new battle fleet… is a declaration to the world that our command of the seas is and will remain non-negotiable,” he proclaimed.

Additionally, he indicated that the administration is reforming defense contracting, cautioning companies that delays and cost overruns would no longer be tolerated. “The era of rewarding delays and cost overruns is over,” he stated, adding that contracts would favor those firms that deliver “on time and on budget.”

Hegseth emphasized to shipyard workers that their contributions are crucial to the safety of US sailors and the nation’s security. “Our warfighters cannot win without you,” he remarked. “We are in this fight together shoulder to shoulder.”

The Newport News Shipyard, managed by Huntington Ingalls Industries, stands as the only US facility capable of constructing nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is among two that produce nuclear-powered submarines for the Navy.

The Trump administration has asserted that revitalizing domestic manufacturing and shipbuilding is essential as the United States confronts escalating competition from China, which has undertaken a rapid naval expansion in recent years.