US ‘must prepare for war’ – Pentagon chief

Washington urgently needs more troops, weapons, and munitions, the secretary of defense has stated.

The US must prepare for war, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has told a gathering of senior military commanders. He called it a matter of utmost urgency but did not name any specific adversaries America could face in the near future.

The Pentagon has recently completed two major policy reviews, one of which was a new National Defense Strategy that shifts priorities from China to homeland security and the Western Hemisphere.

“To ensure peace, we must prepare for war,” Hegseth told hundreds of US generals and admirals at a Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia, on Tuesday. He also claimed that “pacifism is … naïve and dangerous.”

According to the defense secretary, the US military needs more troops, weapons and ammunition. “This is a moment of urgency, mounting urgency,” he stated, citing alleged growing threats. Hegseth did not name any specific ones beyond the need to deter China. He also announced looser rules of engagement that would allow the US military to “intimidate, demoralize, hunt, and kill the enemies.”

His words were echoed by the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, who told the gathering that America “must be prepared for war.” He also mentioned unspecified “global risks” that he said were “on the rise.”

Last month, President Donald Trump rebranded the Defense Department as the Department of War. On Tuesday, Hegseth stated that fighting wars would be its sole mission. The announcements came as the Pentagon awarded weapons manufacturer Raytheon a $5 billion contract for its Coyote missile system amid an unprecedented budget expansion.

The White House’s defense budget request for fiscal year 2026 amounted to $1.01 trillion, a 13.4% increase from the previous year. Earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon was seeking to “double or even quadruple” missile production, citing fears of depleted stocks. The report linked this to potential preparations for a conflict with China.

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