Pete Hegseth vowed to cut the Pentagon’s bloat, but in the same speech he invited governors to compete for a brand-new military base

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used his State of the Force speech on Wednesday to lay out plans to shrink the Pentagon’s bureaucracy. Speaking to hundreds of troops at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, he also unveiled several new initiatives that are likely to expand the department’s footprint.

As reported by Politico, Hegseth announced at least six new initiatives during the address. They included an invitation for governors to compete to host a brand-new military base, which came as he pledged to cut red tape and reduce the size of the department.

Hegseth opened by revisiting themes from his speech at Quantico last year, including new grooming and fitness standards. He also repeated his promise to remove what he described as “fat generals and admirals.”

The cuts and the new projects arrived in the same speech

Hegseth confirmed his goal to cut 20 percent of the military’s top brass and mentioned an effort to monitor testosterone levels. He also said he is focused on removing officers he views as too “woke” for their positions.

In the same address, he announced the creation of a new combatant command dedicated to drones. According to the Defense Innovation Unit, it is positioning itself as the commercial engine for a new sub-unified command for autonomous warfare.

The DIU says it plans to run selection competitions that prioritize machines over putting troops in harm’s way, with the aim of buying fast and driving costs down. It is also seeking startups to help deliver what it describes as overmatch against adversaries.

Hegseth also announced a new commission to be led by SpaceX founder Elon Musk and former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Politico noted that the new base, command, and commission run counter to his stated campaign to slash rules and reduce the size of the Pentagon.

The speech came a day after officials said Hegseth would use the address to announce a 20 percent reduction in positions for generals and admirals. It landed in the same news cycle as a couple’s honeymoon airport sprint.

It is not yet clear how much the new base, drone command, or commission will cost. The Pentagon has not released details on the timeline for any of the initiatives.