Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced plans to build a new military base on U.S. soil, marking the first such construction in more than 40 years. The announcement was made during Hegseth’s “State of the Force” address on Wednesday at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, where he outlined six major initiatives aimed at modernizing and reshaping the military.
The proposed base is expected to accommodate between 15,000 and 25,000 service members and will feature upgraded, first-class barracks, according to Hegseth, an Army veteran. He emphasized that state governors and adjutant generals would present their proposals for the base in a public, on-camera selection process, potentially including former President Donald Trump. Hegseth said the base would follow an executive order calling for “beautiful civic architecture,” designed in a classical style to serve as a “proud fortress” for the nation.
The United States currently maintains approximately 750 to 800 military bases worldwide, with about 335 located domestically, varying widely in size and capacity. Hegseth criticized existing facilities as outdated, arguing that military spending has prioritized advanced weapons systems over soldiers’ living conditions. He called his new project a departure from this trend and part of a broader effort to improve quality of life for troops.
Alongside the base plan, Hegseth introduced five additional initiatives. These include the creation of an Autonomous Warfare Command intended to expand the deployment of autonomous systems across military branches, and America’s Corps of Cadets, a new program partnering with predominantly conservative colleges and universities to develop Corps of Cadets programs. Another initiative, FORTRESS America, aims to make military bases more self-sufficient by establishing independent power supplies and stockpiling strategic reserves of munitions and other essentials. The Department of War will also launch a new Office of Religious Affairs, led by a chaplain, to support places of worship on bases nationwide. Lastly, Project Meridian, a commission headed by Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and Newt Gingrich, will focus on future combat strategies.
Hegseth’s speech, delivered to a crowd of junior officers and enlisted leaders, also featured sharp language rejecting what he described as previous cultural and ideological trends within the military. He declared the department is no longer “woke” or “weak,” outlining policies aligned with his earlier initiatives, including testosterone testing aimed at maintaining combat readiness and gender-neutral physical standards based on the highest male benchmarks.
During the address, Hegseth took credit for recent military successes in places such as Iran and Venezuela and criticized media coverage harshly. He accused the press of being “anti-American” and suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” arguing that media reporting often overlooks the consequences of their narratives.
The Department of War also confirmed a planned 20% reduction in general and flag officer positions as part of ongoing reforms under Hegseth’s leadership.