US EditionHegseth Visits Rocket Company Facility in California on ‘Arsenal of Freedom’ Tour
Defense Secretary Hegseth toured Rocket Lab's engine production facility, highlighting the president's $1.5 trillion 2027 military budget and engaging with over 200 employees.
- On Friday, January 9, 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Rocket Lab in Long Beach as part of his 'Arsenal of Freedom' tour, wrapping the first week of the campaign.
- Following a DoD procurement overhaul announced in November, Hegseth cited Jan. 7 White House executive order, emphasizing contractor performance scrutiny during the 'Arsenal of Freedom' tour.
- Action on the shop floor included a guided tour of Rutherford and Archimedes rocket engines with Peter Beck, while work briefly paused as more than 200 Rocket Lab employees cheered near an Electron rocket.
- Hegseth promised the Pentagon would back companies that deliver at pace and scale, pledging larger contracts and rewarding firms investing in workers over stock buybacks, while reiterating President Donald Trump's $1.5 trillion topline for fiscal 2027.
- The company employs 2,500 people across multiple countries, including its Long Beach headquarters, and last month won an $805-million military contract, its largest to date.
16 Articles
16 Articles
San Bernardino Sun
Defense Secretary Hegseth visits Rocket Lab facility in Long Beach on ‘Arsenal of Freedom’ tour
Work on the production floor at Rocket Lab’s Engine Development Complex in Long Beach halted on Friday afternoon, Jan. 9, as more than 200 employees cheered and welcomed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who visited the space company. Hegseth made Rocket Lab’s manufacturing facility one of his stops in his nationwide tour of defense industrial bases, dubbed the “Arsenal of Freedom” tour. The monthlong campaign aims to promote one of the Department…
Pentagon chief takes ‘Arsenal of Freedom’ tour to Rocket Lab
Pete Hegseth praises U.S.-built satellites and rapid launch as Trump administration escalates pressure on legacy primes The post Pentagon chief takes ‘Arsenal of Freedom’ tour to Rocket Lab appeared first on SpaceNews.
Secretary Of War Swears In New Recruits - Arsenal Of Freedom Tour - Armed Forces Press
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth swore in 35 new recruits yesterday in Los Angeles of all services and the California National Guard. AFP was on scene as part of the Pentagon Press Corps. The post Secretary Of War Swears In New Recruits - Arsenal Of Freedom Tour appeared first on Armed Forces Press.
Secretary of War visits Long Beach-based Rocket Lab as part of his ‘Arsenal of Freedom Tour’
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — dubbed “Secretary of War” by the Trump administration — is visiting the aerospace startup Rocket Lab’s offices in Long Beach today, as part of a national tour meant to buttress enthusiasm for the nation’s manufacturing and defense sectors. Hegseth was expected to tour the company’s engine development complex, a 144,000-square-foot warehouse formerly used as the headquarters of Virgin Orbit. Afterward, a speech wa…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
