Pete Hegseth invites governors to compete to host new U.S. military base

Pete Hegseth invited U.S. governors to compete to host a proposed new domestic military base, saying states could submit bids for what he called the “next great American” base during his State of the Force address on Sept. 30, 2026; the announcement frames the plan as an internal competition for siting.

Hegseth outlined the pitch-off at the Pentagon event, calling on “every governor in the country” and adjutants general to propose locations, the Hill reported in its summary of the speech.

An empty parade ground with neat rows of unbranded barracks and a distant flagpole under a wide sky; no people, no insignia

Fox News and other outlets said Hegseth described the facility as a large, off-grid-style installation and estimated it could house as many as 25,000 service members, framing the competition as the way to choose the state that would host the first new base in decades.

Axios summarized the proposal as a nationwide pitch to governors to win the site, noting the contest-style approach and the Pentagon’s intent to select a single state to host the project.

A long, empty highway leading toward a distant compound of unbranded buildings under open sky, with a single service vehicle parked at the entrance; no people, no logos

Background reporting places the announcement inside Hegseth’s broader State of the Force remarks, where he also discussed force structure changes and other Pentagon priorities; PBS carried live coverage of his address and the administration’s wider plans.

What happens next is procedural: governors or state military leaders would need to prepare formal bids and the Pentagon would set evaluation criteria and a timeline, neither of which was detailed in the initial news reports; outlets covering the speech did not publish a full scoring rubric or deadline for submissions.

Because the White House or Pentagon did not publish a formal solicitation in the initial reporting, the item is best read as a policy pitch announced from the platform of the State of the Force address rather than as a completed contracting action.

Sources

The Hill — reported Hegseth invited governors to bid for the “next great American” base during his Sept. 30 address.
Fox News — described Hegseth’s proposal as a competition for a large new base and reported the plan could house up to 25,000 service members.
Axios — summarized the nationwide pitch-off plan and the Pentagon’s intent to choose one state to host the base.
PBS NewsHour — provided live coverage of Hegseth’s State of the Force address where the announcement was made.