President Donald Trump’s efforts, through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and otherwise, to reduce United States government spending is the focus of much attention. Indeed, in his speech Tuesday night in the US Capitol, Trump listed several expenditures his administration had uncovered that he categorized as “appalling waste.” He also declared that his administration would balance the budget, something he noted had not been accomplished in 24 years.
It was thus peculiar that Trump slipped into his over hour and a half speech a shout-out to one of the groups most notorious for involvement in massive spending by the United States government — the military-industrial complex. The shout-out, though, was likely not understood by most people. This is because Trump did not use the term “military industrial complex.”
The term “military-industrial complex” was first used by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in his farewell speech in the context of a warning to the American people. “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex,” declared Eisenhower on January 17, 1961. Continuing, Eisenhower warned that this military-industrial complex threatened to “endanger our liberties or democratic processes.” Over the decades since, the term has been regularly used by other individuals who have warned, like Eisenhower did, against this particularly dangerous and expensive public-private venture.
Instead of stating “military-industrial complex,” Trump used the more public relations approved substitute term of “defense industrial base.” Declared Trump:
To boost our defense industrial base, we are also going to resurrect the American shipbuilding industry, including commercial shipbuilding and military shipbuilding. And for that purpose, I am announcing tonight that we will create a new office of shipbuilding in the White House and offer special tax incentives to bring this industry home to America, where it belongs.
We used to make so many ships. We don’t make them anymore very much, but we’re going to make them very fast, very soon. It will have a huge impact.
And Trump’s proclaimed effort to boost the military-industrial complex goes beyond starting a vast program for shipbuilding. Just preceding these shipbuilding comments, Trump declared his commitment to pursuing another huge program through the military-industrial complex:
As commander in chief, my focus is on building the most powerful military of the future. As a first step, I’m asking Congress to fund a state of the art “golden dome” missile defense shield to protect our homeland. All made in the U.S.A.
Trump did in his Tuesday night speech mention Eisenhower approvingly. But, Trump talked only about Eisenhower’s effort as president to deport people from America. Hopefully, Trump will further consider Eisenhower’s presidency and heed the warning about the military-industrial complex that Eisenhower offered. In the meantime, beneficiaries of the military-industrial complex will be anticipating ocean-spanning and sky-high profit.
