What happened
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered his 'State of the Force' address to hundreds of troops at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. The event, which took place a year after his similar speech, was attended by roughly 600 active-duty service members. Hegseth's speech covered various topics, including the department's break from its past, meritocracy, and the end of diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Hegseth announced the establishment of the Autonomous Warfare Command, a new four-star functional combatant command, which will be set up by October 1, 2027. He also shared details about the FORTRESS America plan, aiming to make military bases independently powered to prevent adversaries from crippling military plans by targeting civilian infrastructure.
The secretary also revealed plans to build a new military base domestically and encouraged governors to apply to host it. Additionally, he discussed the department's efforts to develop and mass-produce drones, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence.
