Pete Hegseth: US Cannot Sustain Economy Without Military Superiority

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has stated that the United States will be unable to maintain economic stability without preserving its military superiority. He made the argument in an opinion piece published by the New York Post on Tuesday (23/6/2025). “If America loses its undisputed military edge, no amount of fiscal savings will keep this nation’s economy healthy,” Hegseth wrote. He stressed that for decades, the Pentagon has underpinned American prosperity, from supporting dollar dominance to protecting global trade. According to Hegseth, the world’s greatest military power provides the US with stability, predictability, and nearly limitless economic advantages. He explained that military dominance allows Washington to borrow on favourable terms, transact freely, and set the rules of international trade. Without that edge, he argued, US markets, investments, and jobs could be threatened by instability. “The greatest threat to American national security today is a lack of investment in military spending,” Hegseth said.