United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Elon Musk struck a futuristic tone during a visit to SpaceX, pledging to accelerate technological innovation inside the Pentagon and reshape how the military develops new capabilities. Flashing a Vulcan salute, Hegseth echoed Musk's rallying cry to "make Star Trek real" as the two outlined a vision centered on speed, experimentation and cutting bureaucracy.
Speaking as part of his "Arsenal of Freedom" tour, Hegseth argued the United States must win what he called the strategic competition for 21st century technological supremacy. He pointed to artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, hypersonics, space technology and long range drones as areas where Washington must outpace its rivals.
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Most notably, Hegseth sharply criticized what he described as years of stagnation inside the Pentagon, blaming layers of bureaucracy for slowing innovation while adversaries race ahead. He contrasted that culture with SpaceX's rapid development model and vowed to cut through red tape "Elon style" to deliver results faster.
Musk said it was an honor to host Pentagon leaders and backed Hegseth's call for urgency. The defense secretary warned that the United States still holds enormous advantages, from combat proven data to advanced technology, but said none of it will matter if innovation is choked by process... a message underscored by his push to turn science fiction ambition into military reality.
Further reading (Part 2): The Pentagon will use Grok AI for military purposes.