Page 9 - AHATA

A2 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 8 November 2025
Hegseth says he wants the Pentagon to prioritize speed over cost

when buying weapons

By KONSTANTIN TOROPIN fore declaring that “while
Associated Press global military drone pro-
WASHINGTON (AP) — De- duction skyrocketed over
fense Secretary Pete Hegs- the last three years, the
eth said Friday the Pen- previous administration
tagon is revamping how deployed red tape.” That
the military buys weapons, memo lifted some Penta-
shifting the focus away gon restrictions on drone
from producing advanced purchases.
and complex technology Todd Harrison, a defense
and toward products that budget and acquisition
can be made and deliv- expert at the American En-
ered quickly. terprise Institute, said Hegs-
Hegseth, speaking to mili- eth’s ideas represent a sig-
tary leaders and defense nificant shift in how the mili-
contractors in Washing- tary would buy arms.
ton, said the “objective is But he warned that if con-
simple: transform the entire tractors aren’t incentivized
acquisition system to oper- “to check all the boxes”
ate on a wartime footing, for everything the military
to rapidly accelerate the wants in a product, “they
fielding of capabilities and may deliver something fast-
focus on results.” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a joint press conference with South Korean er, but it may not do what
Hegseth gave his address, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, following the 57th Security Consultative Meeting at the Defense you want it to do.”
which ran for more than an Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. The way the U.S. military
hour, at the National War Associated Press buys weapons and plat-
College. It delved much rolling over.” with systems that may not sia’s grinding war has seen forms has faced criticism
more into military minutia The defense secretary function as expected. an underfunded Ukraine us- for various reasons for de-
than a previous big speech argued his changes are “An 85% solution in the ing cheap, mass-produced cades. In recent years, the
to hundreds of military lead- meant to move the military hands of our armed forces drones to effectively hold most famous example of
ers abruptly summoned to away from the more tradi- today is infinitely better than off a technologically su- the Pentagon’s failure to
a base in Virginia, where he tional process that priori- an unachievable 100% so- perior Moscow, which is get the right gear to the
declared an end to “woke” tized delivering a perfect, lution ... endlessly under- armed with advanced mis- front line was the scores
culture and announced if expensive and late, prod- going testing or awaiting siles and hundreds of tanks. of troops that died from
“gender-neutral” directives uct in favor of something additional technological “Drones are the biggest roadside bombs in Iraq
for troops. that is less ideal but deliv- development,” he said. He battlefield innovation in a and Afghanistan because
Hegseth acknowledged ered quickly. Some experts asserted that what used to generation, accounting for of poorly armored vehicles
the granularity Friday, say- say the changes could take several years could most of this year’s casual- that weren’t designed for
ing, “If folks are watching mean less transparency happen within one. ties in Ukraine,” Hegseth the conflict.q
this on Fox, their eyes are and the military ending up The shift is coming as Rus- argued in a July memo be-

Trump accuses foreign-owned meat packers of inflating U.S. beef

prices and calls for investigation

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE owned meat packers of The Republican president flate prices, and jeopardize in decades. Trump’s tariffs
Associated Press driving up the price of beef announced the move on the security of our Nation’s on Brazil, a major beef ex-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- in the U.S. and asked the social media days after his food supply,” he contin- porter, have also curbed
dent Donald Trump on Department of Justice to party suffered losses in key ued. imports.
Friday accused foreign- open an investigation. elections in which the win- Trump offered no proof to Trump’s accusations have
ning Democratic candi- support his allegations. renewed a bipartisan presi-
dates focused relentlessly “Action must be taken im- dential fight against rising
on the public’s concerns mediately to protect Con- food prices.
about the cost of living. sumers, combat Illegal Then-President Joe Biden
“I have asked the DOJ to Monopolies, and ensure talked with independent
immediately begin an in- these Corporations are not farmers and ranchers
vestigation into the Meat criminally profiting at the about initiatives to reduce
Packing Companies who expense of the American food prices by increas-
are driving up the price of People,” he said. ing competition within the
Beef through Illicit Collusion, Last month, Trump suggest- meat industry.
Price Fixing, and Price Ma- ed the U.S. would buy Ar- And then-Vice President
nipulation,” Trump wrote in gentine beef to bring down Kamala Harris, who Trump
the social media post. stubbornly high prices for defeated in winning re-
“We will always protect our American consumers, an- election last year, used her
American Ranchers, and gering U.S. cattle ranchers. campaign to vow to crack-
they are being blamed for Beef prices have soared down on food producers
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters during a meeting
with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the Cabinet Room what is being done by Ma- in part after drought and and major supermarkets “
of the White House, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Washington. jority Foreign Owned Meat years of low prices led to price gouging.”q
Associated Press Packers, who artificially in- the smallest U.S. herd size