President Trump Announces Defense Investments in Pennsylvania
CARLISLE, Pa.—On Wednesday, President Donald Trump revealed plans for nearly $10 billion in investments aimed at bolstering Pennsylvania’s defense sector during Sen. Dave McCormick’s Defense and Innovation Summit.
Following his arrival at the Army War College in Carlisle, the announcement was made during a roundtable discussion featuring McCormick, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, along with executives from defense, banking, and technology sectors.
“Today, we are unveiling almost $10 billion in fresh investments in our defense industrial base right here in Pennsylvania. These initiatives will generate over 4,000 jobs,” he stated.
He added, “The skilled workers in Pennsylvania will construct the ships, submarines, trucks, and weapons necessary for America to remain the most powerful nation ever.” He confidently concluded with, “It’s done.”
Specifics on the investments include a significant $2.5 billion partnership between General Dynamics and Rhodes Industries, which will support submarine construction in Philadelphia. Additionally, a new National Security Multipurpose Vessel (NSMV) order is expected to create more than 2,000 jobs, with a projected program cost of about $1.5 billion.
Day & Zimmerman were awarded a $2.3 billion contract for operations, maintenance, and modernization efforts at the Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada, organized from their Philadelphia operations.
Further details on numerous other investments can be found in press releases available from McCormick’s office.
Trump pointed out that Pennsylvania’s defense expenditures have surged approximately 20% to 25% since he regained office, suggesting that Wednesday’s announcement would push that figure to around $19 billion to $20 billion.
He emphasized that his administration has overseen $19.2 trillion in investments in the U.S. since he took office again in January 2025.
“We used to talk about million-dollar investments, now we’re discussing billions. This hasn’t been done before, truly,” Trump remarked.
He praised McCormick for organizing the summit and recalled attending a previous Energy Innovation Summit held at Carnegie Mellon University last July, where he announced a staggering $92 billion investment in the state.
“You know, I followed your campaign closely. It takes a lot of guts to run for office, and he did it well,” Trump observed about McCormick, who assumed office in 2024 and helped the Republicans reclaim the Senate.
McCormick expressed gratitude for Trump’s visit, mentioning the president’s strong connection to Pennsylvania. He acknowledged, “It’s a great honor to have you here. You really do have a special love for Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania appreciates that.”
Ultimately, both leaders seem committed to advancing the vision of “peace through strength” for the state and the country.
