Secretary Pete Hegseth launched the “Arsenal of Freedom” tour in Wisconsin, visiting Oshkosh Defense to showcase U.S. defense manufacturing capability, stress the need to rebuild the defense industrial base, and press private industry to accelerate production for the military.
Secretary Pete Hegseth opened the tour with a stop at Oshkosh Defense, laying out a clear, action-oriented message about rebuilding American industrial strength. The event emphasized how commercial facilities can pivot to support defense needs and why rapid industrial response matters in a dangerous world.
At Oshkosh, Hegseth walked through production lines and saw tactical vehicles and systems that are key to ground mobility for U.S. forces and allies. The visit highlighted specific platforms and the integrated approach that blends commercial manufacturing with military requirements.
During the visit, Secretary Hegseth saw firsthand how Oshkosh’s people, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and industrial capacity support the Department of War’s strategic priorities. With Oshkosh’s advanced tactical vehicles in action and on display, including the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) and Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary Fires (ROGUE-Fires), Hegseth witnessed how the Oshkosh Corporation enterprise combines global technology solutions with defense expertise to deliver critical ground mobility capabilities for the U.S. military and allied forces.
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“We came to Oshkosh because Oshkosh is a model for the other commercial manufacturers to step up when your country needs you,” said Secretary Hegseth. “From building beautiful fire trucks I had the chance to see, to the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles, you are a model of delivering commercial and military capabilities to the Warfighter.”
“It’s incredible what you achieved here at Oshkosh,” continued Hegseth. “You played a role in every major conflict over the last 80 years since World War II and I’ve seen your incredible work firsthand downrange, and I know that it saved American lives, the lives of American warriors. What’s special about Oshkosh is that 90 percent of your work is for commercial civilian use. It’s great to see integrated production lines of both commercial and defense capabilities.”
Hegseth used the visit to press a wider point: private industry needs to move faster and think more strategically about defense production. His message was aimed not just at Oshkosh, but at other firms capable of stepping up to support national security when needed.
“It is great to be here with my team at Oshkosh in the great state of Wisconsin, home to 30,000 defense industrial base workers and 14,000 U.S. service members,” Hegseth said. “We don’t have the helmets without the hard hats, and we don’t have the warriors without the workers. We are all shoulder-to-shoulder in this arsenal of freedom.”
“Every single one of you. Every welder, every receptionist to the CEO is supporting American warriors every single day,” he continued, “this is not just another manufacturing job. This is patriotism in the form of steel. Past and present. Companies like this one are the backbone of the arsenal of freedom. Together, we’re going to guarantee peace through strength for generations to come, which is the point.”
There were a few protesters on the street, but the turnout was small and the demonstration did not alter the tour’s focus. The contrast between the manufacturing floor and the handful of protesters underscored where the energy and commitment were actually concentrated.
The press did its usual thing, trying to inflate the optics and spin the narrative despite the modest protest showing. Local outlets managed to collect reaction from the opposition, but the event itself was a showcase for industrial capability and a call to action for supply chains to keep up with strategic demand.
Hegseth’s visit is part pep talk and part policy signal: ramp up capacity, shorten lead times, and shore up the factories that supply the warfighter. The takeaway was straightforward and delivered without frills—industrial strength matters, workers matter, and private industry has a role to play in national defense.
