WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth^[1] said Friday the Pentagon is revamping how the military buys weapons, shifting the focus away from producing advanced and complex technology and toward products that can be made and delivered quickly.

Hegseth, speaking to military leaders and defense contractors in Washington, said the "objective is simple: transform the entire acquisition system to operate on a wartime footing, to rapidly accelerate the fielding of capabilities and focus on results.”

Hegseth gave his address, which ran for more than an hour, at the National War College. It delved much more into military minutia than a previous big speech^[2] to hundreds of military leaders abruptly summoned to a base in Virginia, where he declared^[3] an end to “woke” culture and announced “gender-neutral” directives for troops.

Hegseth acknowledged the granularity Friday, saying, “If folks are watching this on Fox, their eyes are rolling over.”

The defense secretary argued his changes are meant to move the military away from the more traditional process that prioritized delivering a perfect, if expensive and late, product in favor of something that is less ideal but delivered quickly. Some experts say the changes could mean less transparency and the military ending up with systems that may not function as expected.

“An 85% solution in the hands of our armed forces today is infinitely better than an unachievable 100% solution ... endlessly undergoing testing or awaiting additional technological development,” he said. He asserted that what used to take several years could happen within one.

The shift is coming as Russia’s grinding war^[4] has seen an underfunded Ukraine using cheap, mass-produced drones^[5] to effectively hold off a technologically superior Moscow, which is armed with advanced missiles and hundreds of tanks.

“Drones are the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation, accounting for most of this year’s casualties in Ukraine,” Hegseth argued in a July memo^[6] before declaring that “while global military drone production skyrocketed over the last three years, the previous administration deployed red tape.” That memo lifted some Pentagon restrictions on drone purchases.

Todd Harrison, a defense budget and acquisition expert at the American Enterprise Institute, said Hegseth’s ideas represent a significant shift in how the military would buy arms.

But he warned that if contractors aren’t incentivized “to check all the boxes” for everything the military wants in a product, “they may deliver something faster, but it may not do what you want it to do.”

The way the U.S. military buys weapons and platforms has faced criticism for various reasons for decades. In recent years, the most famous example of the Pentagon’s failure to get the right gear to the front line was the scores of troops that died from roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan because of poorly armored vehicles that weren’t designed for the conflict.

Then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates used his influence to quickly develop the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle, or MRAP, through the acquisition process in under a year.

Hegseth acknowledged the effort Friday, noting that “the entire process must move at the speed of ... the MRAP."

More recently, other Pentagon efforts have tried to replicate this dynamic to quickly deal with the threat of China invading Taiwan or quickly develop swarms of drones^[7], with mixed results.

Republican Sen. Roger Wicker praised Hegseth's changes as “a game changer for U.S. defense, ensuring our military has the advanced equipment needed to deter adversaries like China and Russia.”

Wicker, who heads the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was looking forward to “implementing these priorities in the next National Defense Authorization Act.”

Hegseth also argued that the companies that sell weapons and platforms to the military need to "assume risk to partner with the United States.”

He then took aim at the large defense contractors, saying the Pentagon will move away from the traditional system where there is limited competition to “harness more of America’s innovative companies."

Harrison said risks are inherent with turning away from traditional contractors — they possess deep expertise and are mostly publicly traded companies. That means “we have more visibility into their liquidity, the stability of their company, their board,” he said.

With the changes comes a possibility for greater fraud and abuse.

”Whereas many of these newer companies, we have very little visibility inside how the company works, who owns what, how they make decisions — it’s all very opaque,” Harrison said.

During his speech, Hegseth also said he wanted to increase the sale of U.S. arms to equip allies while boosting the military industrial base.

Specifically, his plan is to streamline regulations to encourage more sales as a way to boost U.S. arms manufacturing while also equipping allies with the latest in military hardware and munitions.

“President Trump is securing deal after deal to bring cold, hard cash to American manufacturers,” Hegseth said. “But our processes are too slow.”

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Associated Press writers David Klepper and Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

Laura Loomer, a far-right commentator who has promoted conspiracy theories and is an unabashed supported of President Donald Trump, was recently granted access to cover the Pentagon. Press groups warn of the implications.

The Pentagon has given press credentials to Laura Loomer, head of media organization "LOOMERED and a pro-Trump, self-described "America First" supporter with a dubious history of conspiracy claims and publicity stunts. Military.com reported in September^[1] that the Pentagon imposed new media restrictions requiring approval before reporting even unclassified information—a change critics said would chill independent coverage.

Military.com reached out to Loomer for comment, and also asked the Defense Department to explain what access her credential provides.

"I’m excited to announce that after a year of breaking the most impactful stories that pertain to our nation’s national security and rooting out deceptive and disloyal bad actors from the Department of War, I have joined the Pentagon Press Corps!" Loomer posted Monday on X. " LOOMERED is now a credentialed outlet at the Pentagon. There is no denying that my investigative reporting has had a massive impact on the landscape of personnel decisions within the Executive Branch, our intelligence agencies and the Pentagon."

Just last month, Loomer—a self-described "Islamophobe"—criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's announcement of a Qatari air force facility settling in Idaho. She said not “a single Trump supporter supports allowing Qatar to have a military base on US soil.”

Pentagon Should Be 'Fair and Grounded'

Reporters and press freedom groups say the briefing room is becoming a political stage instead of a place for accountability.

Caroline Hendrie, executive director of the Society of Professional Journalists, told Military.com that limiting access hurts the public’s right to know. The Pentagon also should not shut out experienced reporters while letting in political activists, she said.

“Any move that restricts journalists’ ability to gather information and seek answers on the public’s behalf threatens transparency, accountability and press freedom,” Hendrie said. “The Pentagon should uphold open, viewpoint-neutral access. The Pentagon, like all federal agencies, has a duty to ensure that credentialing and briefing policies are fair and grounded in the public’s right to know.”

She said letting partisan influencers into the room while experienced reporters walk out puts trust at risk.

“If ethical, independent outlets lose access while partisan personalities gain it, the public loses real reporting,” she told Military.com. “Military matters demand scrutiny from experienced journalists, not gatekeeping based on ideology or influence.”

New Media Devoid of "Activists"

Military.com previously reported^[2] that after several mainstream outlets including the Associated Press and The New York Times declined to sign the new credential agreement, the Pentagon announced a “new” press corps filled largely with conservative outlets including the podcaster Tim Pool, National Pulse, Human Events, Gateway Pundit, the Just the News website founded by journalist John Solomon, Frontlines by Turning Point USA, and LindellTV operated by “MyPillow” CEO Mike Lindell.

Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell said at the time that the shift represents the "next generation" of national security journalism and criticized the “self-righteous media who chose to self-deport from the Pentagon.”

“Americans have largely abandoned digesting their news through the lens of activists who masquerade as journalists in the mainstream media,” Parnell wrote on X in October. “We look forward to beginning a fresh relationship with members of the new Pentagon press corps.”

It's a press corps that doesn't include conservative outlets like Fox News and Newsmax, who walked out with the other previous news organizations.

New National Precedent

Organizations like SPJ, in operation for more than a century and dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and upholding high ethical standards, say the recent shift is important as the Pentagon is one of the most important public-facing national security institutions.

Hendrie said other agencies take cues from the Defense Department. Rule changes like what's happened at the Pentagon can ripple across the entire federal system.

“History shows that once agencies begin setting selective or subjective standards for press credentials, those models often spread,” Hendrie said. “Changes at the Pentagon are a vivid example of a deeply troubling trend toward restricting access to information that the public deserves to know.”

Reuters national security reporter Phil Stewart also blasted Loomer, writing on X on Nov. 4 that she may have already broken Pentagon rules with her post informing of her new credentials.

Loomer “is appealing for tips, as she announces that she’s signing onto a Pentagon policy prohibiting that basic aspect of journalism,” Stewart wrote. “The policy states, and I quote: ‘An advertisement or social media post by an individual journalist or media outlet that directly targets DoW personnel to disclose non-public information without proper authorization would constitute a solicitation that could lead to revocation’ of press credentials.”

Monday's death of former Vice President Dick Cheney at age 84 has drawn reactions across the spectrum from U.S. citizens who remember a man who shaped war, peace and power for half a century.

Cheney, who served as President George W. Bush's vice president from 2001-2009, left an indelible mark on U.S. foreign policy, intelligence agencies and presidential authority. His death is prompting tributes from governors and members of Congress, and criticism from opponents.

Former President George W. Bush told Military.com the country lost “one of the most serious public servants of his generation.”

Bush said Cheney was a calm, steady presence in the White House after Sept. 11, 2001, and a leader who put national security first. The ex-president wrote that he and former First Lady Laura Bush “will remember Dick Cheney for the decent, honorable man that he was.”

Cheney, a Nebraska native, started life in Lincoln and grew into one of the most powerful national security figures in modern America.

Kindness And Fly Fishing

Cheney’s family said he died at home in Virginia, surrounded by his wife, Lynne, and daughters, Liz and Mary. The former lawmaker died of complications from pneumonia, vascular disease and cardiac failure.

In a written statement, the family called him “a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing.”

“We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man," they added.

Outpouring of Remembrance

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds offered condolences and called Cheney “a remarkable statesman in Congress and the Executive Branch, in times of peace and war, at home and abroad.”

She added that “above all, he will be remembered as a patriot who dedicated his life to the service of his country.”

The Heritage Foundation, one of the nation's largest conservative movements since its 1973 institution, praised Cheney in an elaborate statement referring to him as "a committed conservative who dedicated his life to public service."

“Cheney was a kind man with high expectations and even deeper loyalty to America and its defenders, his family, and his friends," the statement reads. "He gave me great opportunities and was devoted to conservative principles and to all those he worked with.  Cheney ably championed the Second Amendment, free enterprise, and a strong national defense. He was an experienced and loyal counselor to President Bush and the various American leaders he served."

They also mention how in 2002, he helped present Heritage’s highest award, the Clare Boothe Luce Award, to Lady Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He won that same award himself in 2011. 

“Cheney was a patriot and a longtime friend to Heritage," Heritage added. "We will remember him with fondness and gratitude. I will miss him, and our nation owes him and his family gratitude for his long career of public service. We extend our condolences to his wife, Lynne, their two daughters, and their grandchildren.” 

Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) recalled how he worked with Cheney for more than 40 years.

“While we did not always agree on everything, Cheney was a man I worked with on and off for over forty years in politics and government,” Cole said.

He remembered how Cheney and Bush came to Oklahoma during his first run for Congress. “This is something I will never forget.”

Congressman Adrian Smith called Cheney “a patriot who dedicated his life to service,” adding, “from the Capitol to the Pentagon, to the White House, he left an indelible mark on history.”

Veterans Recall His Leadership

The American Legion mourned Cheney’s passing, calling him one of its “most distinguished Boys State graduates.”

In a statement to Military.com, National Commander Dan K. Wiley said: “America lost a longtime public servant, and The American Legion lost one of its most distinguished Boys State graduates.” Wiley said Cheney became a nationally known figure through his steady leadership during the Gulf War as Secretary of Defense. He added that Cheney brought “decades of experience” to the Bush administration and “nobody questioned his patriotism and love for his country.”

The Legion offered condolences to the Cheney family and to “those who knew him best in his home state of Wyoming.” 

The organization also noted Cheney’s long ties to the Legion. He played baseball for American Legion Post 2 in Casper, Wyoming, and addressed national Legion gatherings as vice president.

At the American Legion’s 90th National Convention in 2008, Cheney told veterans, “The Legion serves America by leading on important issues, from health care and education, to employment opportunities for veterans, to homeland security, to a better quality of life for our military families. You proudly wear an emblem that stands ‘for God and Country,’ and the highest rights of man.”

Civil Liberties Groups See Different Legacy

Human rights advocates and other organizations offered a different perspective following Cheney's passing.

The Center for Constitutional Rights told Military.com that Cheney will be remembered for controversial post-9/11 detention and interrogation policies, citing the invasion of Iraq, surveillance programs, and the treatment of detainees. The group said its concerns reflect what it described as long-lasting impacts on civilians and detainees affected by those policies.

Federal Agencies Stay Silent

Military.com asked the Pentagon, CIA, FBI, the White House, House leadership, veteran groups, and senior national security offices for reaction. None responded at press time.

The Marine Corps replied by saying it could not provide a statement due to a funding lapse and legal restrictions.

The silence was noticeable considering that Cheney spent decades inside the same institutions that declined to comment. He served in Congress, ran the Pentagon as secretary of defense, and later became vice president. None of the agencies contacted, including the Department of Defense (War) and the White House, responded to requests for comment about his death.

The flag at the White House was lowered to half-staff around 10 a.m., several hours after his death was announced.