Relations haven’t been the warmest lately between President Donald Trump’s White House and the Centennial State. So, it was good to see Secretary of War Pete Hegseth visit Colorado last week — with encouraging words for our state’s defense contractors. 

The same goes for a visit the same day by Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, who, as The Gazette reported, highlighted how the Air Force is reforming its contracting processes to get the lead out.

The upshot seems to be more opportunity for Colorado’s aerospace, tech and other business sectors that work closely with the Pentagon in shoring up national security. Even as U.S. Space Command headquarters will move from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Ala., prospects are bright for our state’s wide-ranging defense contractors given Colorado’s pivotal role in the U.S. military arsenal.

There’s little Coloradans of any political stripe — and whether employed in the defense sector or not — could take issue with from last week’s appearances. Ensuring national security cuts across party lines, and we want Colorado to prosper economically.

Making it a priority to enable smaller defense businesses to compete for government contracts? Sounds good. Cutting bureaucracy within the Pentagon? Sign us up. Avoiding multibillion-dollar contracts on the taxpayer dime that take more than a decade to complete? No argument here.

Of course, easier said than done — as the Trump administration has learned across federal departments (DOGE, anyone?) in their state mission to trim bureaucratic bloat. Trump and Hegseth not only don’t have all the answers, but defense is a unique budget priority, one comprised of complex, time-consuming missions and projects. 

No one knows that better than the many Coloradans who work throughout our state’s extensive military presence and defense installations up and down the Front Range — from the Space Force bases and stations at Peterson, Schriever and Cheyenne Mountain in the Colorado Springs area and Buckley in Aurora, to the Army’s 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson and the Air Force Academy.

Up in Aurora, Meink said for companies to improve their production rates, the government needs to commit to longer-term deals to support private investment. With Meink, it seems Trump has tabbed a pragmatic, apolitical leader who wants to position the Air Force and Space Force for success no matter what AI and autonomous tech bode for air and space defense in the future.

Confidence from the likes of Meink and Hegseth is a good thing, and their commitment to the role Colorado will continue to play in the future is welcome to Colorado contractors. 

It’s also proof that once you cut through politics — no matter the bombast of social-media posts from the president or performative posturing from Colorado officials on the other side of the aisle — U.S. defense efforts need Colorado. The nation is better at protecting our people and fighting wars with what the Centennial State brings to war-room tables — literally and figuratively.

Meink gets that. Hegseth is increasingly understanding that. And, even if that’s hard to openly admit for a prideful, passionate president, he knows it deep down, too.