U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was in Fort Wayne Wednesday to address defense contractors as a guest of U.S. Senator Jim Banks.
The speech was part of Banks’ fourth-annual Northeast Indiana Defense Summit held at Purdue Fort Wayne.
Fort Wayne has a long history of manufacturing and innovation in the defense industry, from companies such as BAE Systems to L3Harris, which is involved in Trump's missile shield program.
In his introduction to Hegseth, Banks spoke of the region's deep ties to the defense industry—including L3Harris, which is involved in Trump's space-based missile defense system. Other companies, such as Ultra Maritime, in Columbia City, provide technology to the U.S. Navy.
Banks recognized a number of leaders in the defense industry in his opening remarks, and predicted Indiana would have a growing role to play in the "modernization" of the U.S. military.
Hegseth spoke for just over 33 minutes, focusing in part on how his Pentagon wants to streamline the ways it acquires goods from the defense industry.
"So the objective is quite simple, transform the entire acquisition system to operate at a wartime or warp speed footing, Hegseth said. "The objective is rebuilding the arsenal of freedom. Rebuilding the arsenal of freedom American industry and its innovative spirit are begging, begging to be unleashed to solve our most complex and dangerous war fighting problems.
"By the way, this, this task of transformation, will be a war of attrition."
Hegseth called the previous administration "feckless", compared President Donald Trump to President Teddy Roosevelt, and decried beards and excess weight on the "warfighters."
Banks and event organizers used the titles Department of War and Secretary of War to describe Hegseth’s work, though no change to the name of the Department of Defense has been authorized by Congress.
Outside the venue, a handful of protesters gathered to express their opposition to Banks and the administration of President Donald Trump.
Jim Carpenter of Indivisible of Northeast Indiana was one of the organizers.
"We've had a lot of students stop by. They weren't aware of the event, but they've stopped by and engaged with us, shown us some support.," he said. "It's been a pretty positive event overall."
Carpenter believed between 75 to 100 protestors showed up throughout the day.
Early on in the day, someone brought donuts to the protestors. Carpenter believes they were from Banks' office. Earlier this year, Banks refused to come to a town hall put on by Indivisible, and instead sent donuts.
Carpenter said Wednesday's donuts were donated to a local shelter.