On Wednesday, the 4th Annual Northeast Indiana Defense Summit was hosted by Republican Senator Jim Banks in Fort Wayne.

The summit featured remarks from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, both of whom stressed the state’s crucial role in national security.

“President Trump is rebuilding and remaking the U.S. military into the world’s strongest fighting force,” Banks said. “Secretary of War Hegseth is leading the effort daily to achieve peace through strength.”

Hegseth underscored the administration’s “America First” philosophy and the need to restore military standards. He defended the recent decision to rename the agency to the Department of War.

“That’s why we restored the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War for clarity, not be

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