LOS ANGELES \u2014 Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who is taking a tour of U.S. defense contractors, on Friday visited a Long Beach rocket maker, where he told workers they are key to President Donald Trump’s vision of military supremacy.<\/p>\n
Hegseth stopped by a manufacturing plant operated by Rocket Lab, an emerging company that builds satellites and provides small-satellite launch services for commercial and government customers.<\/p>\n
kAm{2DE >@?E9[ E96 4@>A2?J H2D 2H2C565 2? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]8=@36?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\\C6=62D6^a_ad^`a^`h^ba_gfb`^_^6?^#@4<6E\\{23\\pH2C565\\g`e|\\!C:>6\\r@?EC24E\\E@\\qF:=5\\|:DD:=6\\s676?D6\\$2E6==:E6\\r@?DE6==2E:@?\\7@C\\&\\$\\$A246\\u@C46]9E>=QmSg_d >:==:@? >:=:E2CJ 4@?EC24Ek^2m[ :ED =2C86DE E@ 52E6[ E@ 3F:=5 D2E6==:E6D 7@C 2 ?6EH@C< 36:?8 56G6=@A65 7@C 4@>>F?:42E:@?D 2?5 56E64E:@? @7 ?6H E9C62ED[ DF49 2D 9JA6CD@?:4 >:DD=6D]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmQ%9:D 4@>A2?J[ J@F C:89E 96C6[ 2C6 7C@?E 2?5 46?E6C[ 2D A2CE @7 6?DFC:?8 E92E H6 3F:=5 2? 2CD6?2= @7 7C665@> E92E p>6C:42 ?665D[Q w68D6E9 E@=5 D6G6C2= 9F?5C65 4966C:?8 H@C<6CD] Q%96 7FEFC6 @7 E96 32EE=67:6=5 DE2CED C:89E 96C6 H:E9 5@>:?2?46 @7 DA246]Qk^Am<\/p>\n
kAmu@F?565 \ud83d\ude15 a__e \ud83d\ude15 }6H +62=2?5[ E96 4@>A2?J >2<6D 2 D>2== C@4<6E 42==65 t=64EC@? \u2014 H9:49 =2J @? :ED D:56 ?62C w68D6E9 \u2014 2?5 \ud83d\ude00 56G6=@A:?8 2 =2C86C @?6 42==65 }6FEC@?] xE >@G65 E@ E96 &]$] 2 564256 28@ 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^3FD:?6DD^=2\\7:\\C@4<6E\\=23\\9625BF2CE6CD\\a_`f_ba`\\DE@CJ]9E>=Qm@A6?65 :ED {@?8 q6249 9625BF2E6CDk^2m \ud83d\ude15 a_a_]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm#@4<6E {23 \ud83d\ude00 2>@?8 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^3FD:?6DD^DE@CJ^a_ad\\_h\\`g^=2\\7:\\D:=:4@?\\G2==6J\\5676?D6\\A:G@EQm?6H H2G6 @7 4@>A2?:6Dk^2m E92E 92G6 C6G:E2=:K65 $@FE96C? r2=:7@C?:2VD 26C@DA246 2?5 5676?D6 :?5FDECJ[ H9:49 D965 9F?5C65D @7 E9@FD2?5D @7 ;@3D \ud83d\ude15 E96 `hh_D 27E6C E96 6?5 @7 E96 r@=5 (2C] {2C86 5676?D6 4@?EC24E@CD k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^2C49:G6D^=2\\IA>\\a_`_\\;2?\\_d\\=2\\7:\\?@CE9C@Ad\\a_`_;2?_d\\DE@CJ]9E>=QmDF49 2D }@CE9C@A vCF>>2?k^2m 2?5 {@4<9665 |2CE:? >@G65 E96:C 9625BF2CE6CD E@ E96 t2DE r@2DE]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm|2?J @7 E96 ?6H 4@>A2?:6D H6C6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^3FD:?6DD^DE@CJ^a_ad\\_g\\ag^9@H\\E96\\?6H\\DA246\\64@?@>J\\:D\\EC2?D7@C>:?8\\D@FE96C?\\42=:7@C?:2Qm7@F?565 3J 7@C>6C 6>A=@J66D @7 $A246)k^2m[ H9:49 H2D DE2CE65 3J t=@? |FD< \ud83d\ude15 a__a 2?5 H2D 32D65 \ud83d\ude15 E96 $@FE9 q2J 367@C6 >@G:?8 E@ %6I2D \ud83d\ude15 a_ac] w@H6G6C[ :E C6E2:?D >2;@C @A6C2E:@?D \ud83d\ude15 w2HE9@C?6]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmw68D6E9 <:4<65 @77 9:D E@FC |@?52J H:E9 2 G:D:E E@ 2 }6HA@CE }6HD[ ‘:C8:?:2[ D9:AJ2C5] %96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]H2C]8@G^}6HD^#6=62D6D^#6=62D6^pCE:4=6^cbf_cec^D64C6E2CJ\\@7\\H2CD\\2CD6?2=\\@7\\7C665@>\\E@FC\\E@\\C2==J\\?2E:@?^QmE@FC \ud83d\ude00 56D4C:365k^2m 2D Q2 42== E@ 24E:@? E@ C6G:E2=:K6 p>6C:42VD >2?F724EFC:?8 >:89E 2?5 C6\\6?6C8:K6 E96 ?2E:@?VD H@C<7@C46]Qk^Am<\/p>\n
kAm{@?8 q6249 |2J@C #6I #:492C5D@?[ 2 s6>@4C2E H9@ D2:5 96 H2D ?@E E@=5 @7 E96 6G6?E[ D2:5 w68D6E9VD G:D:E D9@HD 9@H E96 4:EJ 92D 7=@FC:D965 56DA:E6 DF49 D6E3242DE6C xxx EC2?DA@CE A=2?E]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmQ#@4<6E {23 92D C62==J 366? 2 DFA6CDE2C \ud83d\ude15 E6C>D @7 @FC 72DE[ 8C@H:?8 2?5 6>6C8:?8 DA246 64@?@>J \ud83d\ude15 {@?8 q6249[Q #:492C5D@? D2:5] Q%9:D 6>6C86?46 @7 DA246 \ud83d\ude00 C62==J E96 ?6IE DE286 @7 2=>@DE 2 46?EFCJ @7 :??@G2E:@? E92EVD C62==J E2<:?8 A=246 96C6]Qk^Am<\/p>\n
kAm!C:@C DE@AD \ud83d\ude15 E96 C68:@? :?4=F565 G:D:ED E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]5:G6C86?Eb5]4@>^Qms:G6C86?Ek^2m[ 2? 25G2?465 >2?F724EFC:?8 4@>A2?J \ud83d\ude15 26C@DA246 2?5 @E96C :?5FDEC:6D[ 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]42DE6=:@?]4@>^Qmr2DE6=:@?k^2m[ 2 9JA6CD@?:4 >:DD:=6 DE2CEFA 7@F?565 3J 7@C>6C $A246) 6>A=@J66D] q@E9 2C6 32D65 \ud83d\ude15 %@CC2?46]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%96 E@FC 7@==@HD 2? @G6C92F= @7 E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 s676?D6VD AC@4FC6>6?E A@=:4J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>65:2]5676?D6]8@G^a_ad^}@G^`_^a__bg`hcbh^\\`^\\`^`^%#p}$u~#|x}v\\%wt\\stut}$t\\pr”&x$x%x~}\\$*$%t|\\x}%~\\%wt\\(p#uxvw%x}v\\pr”&x$x%x~}\\$*$%t|\\%~\\prrt{t#p%t\\uxt{sx}v\\~u\\vt}%{*\\}ttsts\\rp!pqx{x%xt$\\%~\\~\\(p##x~#$]!suQmw68D6E9 2??@F?465 \ud83d\ude15 }@G6>36Ck^2m] %96 A@=:4J D666?E 2?5 24BF:D:E:@? 3J 7:CDE 7:?5:?8 42A23:=:E:6D \ud83d\ude15 E96 4@>>6C4:2= >2C<6E 367@C6 E96 8@G6C?>6?E 2EE6>AED E@ 56G6=@A ?6H DJDE6>D]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%CF>A 2=D@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]H9:E69@FD6]8@G^AC6D:56?E:2=\\24E:@?D^a_ae^_`^AC:@C:E:K:?8\\E96\\H2C7:89E6C\\:?\\5676?D6\\4@?EC24E:?8^Qm:DDF65 2? 6I64FE:G6 @C56Ck^2m (65?6D52J E92E 2:>D E@ =:>:E D92C69@=56C AC@7:ED @7 5676?D6 4@?EC24E@CD E92E 5@ ?@E >66E AC@5F4E:@? 2?5 3F586E 8@2=D 3J C6DEC:4E:?8 DE@4< 3FJ324<\/p>\n
kAmw68D6E9 E@=5 E96 H@C<6CD E92E E96 25>:?:DEC2E:@? \ud83d\ude00 ECJ:?8 E@ AC@5 @=5\\=:?6 5676?D6 4@?EC24E@CD E@ 36 >@C6 :??@G2E:G6 2?5 DA6?5 >@C6 @? 56G6=@A>6?E \u2014 E@FE:?8 #@4<6E {23 2D E96 <:?5 @7 4@>A2?J E92E H:== DF44665[ 255:?8 :E 925 @?6 @7 E96 Q4@@=6DE 724E@CJ 7=@@CDQ 96 925 6G6C D66?]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmQx ;FDE H2?E E96 36DE[ 2?5 x H2?E E@ 6?DFC6 E92E E96 4@>A6E:E:@? E92E 6I:DED \ud83d\ude00 72:C[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmw68D6E9VD G:D:E 4@>6D 2D %CF>A 92D 7=6I65 E96 ?2E:@?VD >:=:E2CJ >FD4=6D H:E9 E96 y2?] b 235F4E:@? @7 ‘6?6KF6=2? !C6D:56?E }:4@=\u00e1D |25FC@[ H9@ \ud83d\ude00 ?@H 724:?8 5CF8 EC277:4<:?8 492C86D E@ H9:49 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^H@C=5\\?2E:@?^DE@CJ^a_ae\\_`\\_d^>25FC@\\:D\\E2<6?\\E@\\F\\D\\4@FCE9@FD6\\7@C\\9:D\\7:CDE\\2AA62C2?46\\@?\\5CF8\\EC277:4<:?8\\492C86DQm96 92D A=62565 ?@E 8F:=EJ]k^2mk^Am<\/p>\n
kAmw68D6E9 \ud83d\ude15 9:D DA6649 4:E65 |25FC@VD 42AEFC6 2D 2? 6I2>A=6 @7 E96 4@F?ECJVD ?6H7@F?5 Q56E6CC6?46 \ud83d\ude15 24E:@?]Q %9@F89 %CF>AVD 2==:6D DFAA@CE65 E96 24E:@?[ =682= 6IA6CED 2?5 @E96C 4C:E:4D 92G6 2C8F65 E92E E96 @A6C2E:@? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^H@C=5\\?2E:@?^DE@CJ^a_ae\\_`\\_b^F\\D\\42AEFC6\\@7\\>25FC@\\:?\\G6?6KF6=2\\4C:E:4:K65\\2D\\G:@=2E:@?\\@7\\:?E6C?2E:@?2=\\F\\D\\=2HQmG:@=2E65 :?E6C?2E:@?2= 2?5 &]$] =2H]k^2mk^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%CF>A E9:D H66< D2:5 96 H2?ED E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^3FD:?6DD^DE@CJ^a_ae\\_`\\_g^>@DE\\@7\\H2==\\DEC66E\\5C:7ED\\2D\\5676?D6\\4@>A2?:6D\\C2==JQmC25:42==J 3@@DE &]$] >:=:E2CJ DA6?5:?8k^2m E@ S`]d EC:==:@? \ud83d\ude15 a_af 7C@> Sh__ 3:==:@? E9:D J62C D@ 96 42? 3F:=5 E96 QsC62> |:=:E2CJ]Qk^Am<\/p>\n
kAmw68D6E9 E@=5 E96 H@C<6CD :E H@F=5 36 2 Q9:DE@C:4 :?G6DE>6?EQ E92E H@F=5 6?DFC6 E96 &]$] \ud83d\ude00 ?6G6C 492==6?865 >:=:E2C:=J]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%CF>A 2=D@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^ECFE9D@4:2=]4@>^oC62=s@?2=5%CF>A^A@DED^“dgddbgfhce__dcegQmA@DE65 @? D@4:2= >65:2k^2m E9:D H66< E92E 6I64FE:G6 D2=2C:6D @7 5676?D6 4@>A2?:6D D9@F=5 36 42AA65 2E Sd >:==:@? F?=6DD E96J DA665 FA 56G6=@A>6?E 2?5 AC@5F4E:@? @7 25G2?465 H62A@?D \u2014 \ud83d\ude15 2 5:8 2E 6I:DE:?8 AC:>6 4@?EC24E@CD]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmw@H6G6C[ E96 E6IE @7 9:D (65?6D52J @C56C 42AD D2=2C:6D 2E 4FCC6?E =6G6=D 2?5 E:6D 7FEFC6 6I64FE:G6 :?46?E:G6 4@>A6?D2E:@? E@ 56=:G6CJ 2?5 AC@5F4E:@? >6EC:4D]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmp?5FC:= x?5FDEC:6D \ud83d\ude15 r@DE2 |6D2 \ud83d\ude00 @?6 @7 E96 =625:?8 ?6H 5676?D6 4@>A2?:6D \ud83d\ude15 $@FE96C? r2=:7@C?:2] %96 AC:G2E6=J 96=5 >2<6C @7 2FE@?@>@FD H62A@?D DJDE6>D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^6?E6CE2:?>6?E\\2CED^3FD:?6DD^DE@CJ^a_ad\\_f\\ah^2?5FC:=\\5676?D6\\E649\\26C@DA246\\G6?EFC6\\42A:E2=\\=@D\\2?86=6DQm4=@D65 2 Sa]d 3:==:@? 7F?5:?8k^2m C@F?5 =2DE J62C]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmu@F?56C !2=>6C {F4<6J E@=5 q=@@>36C8 }6HD 96 DFAA@CE65 %CF>AVD >@G6D E@ =:>:E 6I64FE:G6 4@>A6?D2E:@? \ud83d\ude15 E96 5676?D6 D64E@C[ D2J:?8[ Qx A2J >JD6=7 S`__[___ 2 J62C]Q w@H6G6C[ {F4<6J 92D 2 DE2<6 \ud83d\ude15 p?5FC:=[ =2DE G2=F65 3J :?G6DE@CD 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]3=@@>36C8]4@>^?6HD^2CE:4=6D^a_ad\\_e\\_d^5676?D6\\DE2CEFA\\2?5FC:=\\4==:?496D\\7F?5:?8\\2E\\b_\\d\\3:==:@?\\G2=F2E:@?QmSb_]d 3:==:@?k^2m]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm!6E6C q64<[ E96 7@F?56C 2?5 49:67 6I64FE:G6 @7 #@4<6E {23[ E@@< 2 32D6 D2=2CJ @7 Sdfd[___ \ud83d\ude15 a_ac 3FE H:E9 3@?FD 2?5 DE@4< 2H2C5D 9:D E@E2= 4@>A6?D2E:@? C624965 Sa_]` >:==:@?[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 D64FC:E:6D 7:=:?8] w6 2=D@ 92D 2 DE2<6 \ud83d\ude15 E96 4@>A2?J[ H9:49 92D 2 >2C<6E 42A:E2=:K2E:@? @7 23@FE Scd 3:==:@?]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmq64< :?EC@5F465 w68D6E9 D2J:?8 96 H2D D66<:?8 E@ QC6:?G:8@C2E6 E96 ?2E:@?2= :?5FDEC:2= 32D6 2?5 4C62E6 2 =62?6C[ >@C6 67764E:G6 s6A2CE>6?E @7 (2C[ @?6 E92E 8@6D 72DE6C 2?5 =62?D @? 4@>>6C4:2= 4@>A2?:6D ;FDE =:<6 @FCD]Qk^Am<\/p>\n
kAm#@4<6E {23 3@2DED E92E :ED t=64EC@? C@4<6E[ H9:49 7:CDE =2F?4965 \ud83d\ude15 a_`f[ \ud83d\ude00 E96 H@C=5VD =625:?8 D>2== C@4<6E 2?5 E96 D64@?5 >@DE 7C6BF6?E=J =2F?4965 &]$] C@4<6E 369:?5 $A246)]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmxE 92D 42CC:65 A2J=@25D 7@C }p$p[ E96 &]$] $A246 u@C46 2?5 E96 }2E:@?2= #64@??2:DD2?46 ~77:46[ 2D:56 7C@> 4@>>6C4:2= 4FDE@>6CD]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%96 4@>A2?J 6>A=@JD a[d__ A6@A=6 24C@DD 724:=:E:6D \ud83d\ude15 }6H +62=2?5[ r2?252 2?5 E96 &]$][ :?4=F5:?8 \ud83d\ude15 ‘:C8:?:2[ r@=@C25@ 2?5 |:DD:DD:AA:]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm#@4<6E {23 D92C6D 4=@D65 2E Sgc]gc @? uC:52J[ FA aT]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm\u00a9a_ae {@D p?86=6D %:>6D] ‘:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^Qm=2E:>6D]4@>k^2m] s:DEC:3FE65 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]EC:3F?64@?E6?E286?4J]4@>Qm%C:3F?6 r@?E6?E p86?4J[ {{r]k^2mk^Am<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"LOS ANGELES \u2014 Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who is taking a tour of U.S. defense contractors, on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9563,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[131,133,132,974,14982],"class_list":{"0":"post-129056","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-long-beach","8":"tag-long-beach","9":"tag-long-beach-headlines","10":"tag-long-beach-news","11":"tag-national","12":"tag-page_2"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129056\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}