Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday threw open a competition among the nation's governors to host what he called the "next great American" military base, urging state leaders to bring their best proposals to the Pentagon.
Speaking at Quantico, Virginia, during his "State of Force" address, Hegseth called on every governor and adjutant general to "step up to the plate and bring us their best sales pitch." The Pentagon chief framed the initiative as a break from business as usual, promising a transparent, merit-based selection process.
"If your state wants the honor of hosting 15,000 to 25,000 of America's great troops, show us why and how you're going to do it, cutting through the red tape, offering up the land, and rolling out the red carpet for our military families," Hegseth said. His remarks come amid broader efforts to reshape the military's footprint, including a planned 20% cut in senior officer billets.
The proposed installation would not be a "soulless government installation," Hegseth insisted, but a "dynamic, self-sustaining power projection platform." He described a sprawling complex of hundreds of thousands of acres featuring organic power generation, modern air defenses, and cutting-edge technology — "think a fortress," he said.
Service members and their families would benefit from "first-class barracks, world-class training facilities, and thriving communities with top-tier housing, school, childcare and healthcare," Hegseth added. The vision echoes previous base modernization efforts, though on a scale not seen in decades.
The most recent major base addition was Naval Station Everett in Washington state, which opened in the 1990s and hosts guided-missile destroyers and Coast Guard vessels. Hegseth's announcement signals a significant expansion of domestic military infrastructure.
To ensure fairness, Hegseth pledged that governors would present their plans directly to him, Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, and "maybe" even President Trump. "No backroom Washington deals, no political favoritism, just a straight-up merit-based contest to see which state will partner with us to build the most modern, beautiful and lethal military installation on the planet," he said.
The competition is likely to intensify as states vie for the economic and strategic benefits of hosting such a facility. Hegseth's call for proposals comes as the Pentagon continues to prioritize readiness and modernization, themes he has emphasized in previous high-profile addresses.
Governors are expected to respond with detailed pitches in the coming weeks, setting the stage for a high-stakes selection process that could reshape the military's domestic posture for years to come.
