NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — dubbed "Secretary of War" by the Trump administration — visited Newport News Shipbuilding on Monday amid broader efforts to bolster American manufacturing for national security, according to HII, the shipyard's parent company.
"The surest and only real path to peace is through strength, we're in the strength business — you are in the strength business," Hegseth told workers at Newport News Shipbuilding.
Newport News was the first stop on the "Arsenal of Freedom" tour this month. This initiative aims to boost the Defense Industrial Base while drawing attention to the workers who support it, arguing that military readiness depends on the speed and capacity of domestic production.
Hegseth went on to discuss recent military operations conducted under the Trump administration, specifically highlighting the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
"And then we saw three nights ago in downtown Caracas in Venezuela, as nearly 200 of our greatest Americans went downtown in Caracas," Hegseth said. "[They went into] Downtown Caracas, grabbed an indicted individual wanted by American justice in support of law enforcement, without a single American killed — reestablishing deterrence."
Watch related coverage: Hegseth moves to cut Kelly's retirement pay over 'illegal order' video
Reforms within the Department of Defense were also discussed by Hegseth.
"No more distractions. We're done with that s---. It's just standards, accountability, readiness, training, discipline and lethality. Back to basics across the department, which is what our warriors really want," Hegseth said.
Newport News Shipbuilding is the nation’s largest military shipyard and plays a key role in building and maintaining U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and submarines. The shipyard employs tens of thousands of workers in Virginia and has supported U.S. national defense for more than a century.
Watch related coverage: New year brings continued work on future USS Barb at Newport News Shipbuilding
Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones is appreciative of efforts to increase work at the shipyard.
"What I would say as mayor of Newport News we need to build more ships," Jones told News 3 Sunday. "Whatever administration will help us do that — we are on board."
Currently, more than two dozen submarines and aircraft carriers are being built or are undergoing maintenance at the shipyard.
It's the largest industrial employer in Virginia, so Mayor Jones says talk of the shipyard transcends politics.
