Wicker and Trump Discuss American Security

By U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss)

Oval Office Conversation on Future of National Defense

I recently visited the White House to meet with President Trump and discuss our shared national defense agenda. We had a lot to cover. America’s enemies are on the move, and our military is not prepared to respond. In our thorough Oval Office conversation, the president and I examined a number of urgent priorities. These efforts will begin rebuilding the U.S. military, equipping our armed forces to face the challenges of the 21st century.

Rebuilding the U.S. Military

In my role as the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I will work with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to improve our security. We will restock our munitions arsenal. We will revitalize our Navy and merchant fleets for command of the seas. The Air Force’s next-generation fighter jets will ensure America maintains control of the skies.

At the same time, we must double down on new technologies, such as unmanned aerial and subsurface craft. We should empower our nation’s entrepreneurs to deter conflict by keeping our technology edge over China. Our best and brightest minds will field the Iron Dome for America and launch new space-based capabilities.

Upcoming legislation presents an ideal opportunity to begin investing in these national defense programs. Congressional Republicans are preparing to pass new laws on the border, taxes, and the military. In close partnership with the president and his team, we plan to use a process called budget reconciliation. The legislative procedure allows the Senate to avoid the filibuster while making changes to spending or revenues.

Spending Smarter at the Pentagon

The president campaigned on a “peace through strength” agenda. I am hopeful that the reconciliation process will allow Congress to help him meet that goal. We cannot rebuild the military on the cheap, and we should not cut corners when building the tools our service members need. But as we make these investments, we must also spend smarter.

I have published a plan to change the way the Pentagon does business. Called “Restoring Freedom’s Forge,” the project takes inspiration from the heroic work of America’s private sector during World War II. In that conflict, industry mobilized with incredible speed to build the ships, planes, and weapons that helped the Allied forces prevail.

The story is different today. The Department of Defense (DOD) has been too slow to adopt private sector innovation. Instead, burdensome rules keep startups from competing for military contracts. In 1948, the DOD rulebook that governed those contracts was just eight pages long. Today, the regulations fill 3,500 pages. The budgeting process has hardly changed since the Kennedy administration. My plan would change that. It would inject more competition into the defense industry. Layers of busy work and reams of unnecessary reporting requirements would be eliminated, and DOD would be compelled to steward taxpayer funds better. Most importantly, restoring freedom’s forge would bring cutting-edge military hardware to the battlefield faster.

The Return of Peace Through Strength

President Trump and I discussed military preparedness because we want to avoid war. When our national defense is strong, our adversaries are less likely to move against us. The outbreak of conflict with these foes would risk our very way of life. Preserving the peace enables every American to enjoy the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness outlined in our Declaration of Independence. By rebuilding our armed forces now, we can help avoid destructive war and secure peace and prosperity for the coming generations.

Note: This article is the weekly Wicker Report from U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, written by the Senator and provided by his office. Any opinions expressed here are that of the author and not necessarily that of this publication.