Sec. Hegseth: ‘America First Doesn’t Mean America Alone; We’ll Stand Alongside Our Allies’

EXCERPT:

HEGSETH: “We’ve gone after it from minute one. We will not be dependent on China. We won’t be dependent on anybody else. The American military will be able to independently operate and operate decisively. We have to. And there’s been neglect for decades. And President Trump has pointed out, to be the best, you can’t depend on anyone else. But America First doesn’t mean America alone. We’ll stand alongside our allies, but we’re going to be able to source our munitions, our minerals ourselves. We’re doing it already. And we’ve got the best equipment, the best capabilities in the world. We’re on hyperdrive. The One Big Beautiful Bill that was passed gives us $150 billion more to invest in Golden Dome, in hypersonics, in securing our border, in long-range drones, you name it, submarines, we’re investing in it and it’ll be sourced in America, our logistics train, where we get all the aspects of the things we make, has to be sourced here. We’re doing it. Our allies and adversaries understand that. And that only makes us more independent, more able to put America first to drive peace through strength. And it’s happening every day.”