Defense Business Brief: Pitching America first; Visa deal?; Skunk Works exec moves up; plus a little more

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.—Putting yourself first doesn’t mean you can’t have friends, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested on Monday at the SelectUSA Investment Summit just outside Washington, D.C.His department’s annual event aims to woo foreign investment in the United States, an objective complicated by the Trump administration’s “America First” approach.“We’re here to make deals happen,” Lutnick told the crowd on Monday. “To our foreign partners, we want you here. If you build here and commit to build here, the Department of Commerce will have the ability to assist you getting L-1 visas so that you can bring your employees in to launch the project. You'll train American workers over time, but you can bring your people here, and we will set that infrastructure for you. The Department of Commerce has made a deal with the Secretary of State and the State Department that we will assist you in helping you get visas so you can build your factories here.”The comments come as the Trump administration has levied heavy tariffs, strained relationships with allies and partners, and launched a war on Iran that has set off a chain reaction of economic effects, including skyrocketing gas and increased fertilizer prices, which could boost food costs and supply down the line. Lutnick’s speech was largely a pep rally to push the idea that the U.S. is the land of opportunity. America First “doesn't mean America alone,” he said. “It just means that we're open for business, that we're here for our workers, we're here for our communities, and we're here also to make sure that we can take care of ourselves for national security.”Delegations from U.S. states seemed undeterred by political headwinds as they pitched projects to foreign attendees. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced a memorandum of understanding with Hitachi, which already has a presence in the state, to explore ways to use AI in developing data centers, energy and transportation infrastructure, biotechnology development, and advanced manufacturing.Even amid the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, the state of Iowa is pressing on with goals to work with countries in the Middle East. Juliet Abdel, who leads the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, said the organization wants business relationships with Turkey, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. “We are pushing ahead with conversations…being more forward and having those conversations, because most organizations have not had an international focus before, and so it really has opened up the opportunity for us to have dialogue and really put this as a priority,” Abdel told Defense One.She said Cedar Rapids hopes to convince more defense and aerospace companies to join London-based BAE Systems and RTX’s Collin Aerospace. “There's also over 1,000 acres of available land near our airport. Of that, over 500 acres of certified sites are certified through the state of Iowa as being ready for development. And then over the last several months, the state has invested in a study, commenced to really identify …categories within the aerospace and avionics that we can really target as having the most potential. And we're developing that into a tool” expected to be released this summer.WelcomeYou’ve reached the Defense Business Brief, where we dig into what the Pentagon buys, who they’re buying from, and why. Send along your tips, feedback, and song recommendations to lwilliams@defenseone.com. Check out the Defense Business Brief archive here, and tell your friends to subscribe!Overheard at SelectUSA. Amy Tachco, the State Department senior adviser and industry liaison for the visa office, gave an overview on visa requirements for foreign business travelers at the conference, including a continuous vetting process.

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