The Andrew Klavan Show Is America Ready For War With China? w/Colin Carroll
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Feb 11, 2026 Colin Carroll, former Pentagon chief of staff and CEO of Atropos building autonomous cargo aircraft, shares frontline views on rebuilding U.S. military readiness. He discusses rapid acquisition reforms, cutting through bureaucracy, balancing buy-now versus prototype futures, and the risks of initial losses in a China conflict. The conversation highlights autonomous logistics and mission engineering challenges.
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Inside The Deputy Secretary's Office
- Colin Carroll volunteered from a defense tech firm to join the Deputy Secretary's office to reform acquisition processes.
- He and two colleagues were removed amid leak accusations that he says were unfounded and politically driven.
Culture And Procurement Move The Titanic
- Pete Hegseth prioritized culture and warfighting focus to reset the Department of War's mindset.
- Changing acquisition choices matters more long-term because weapon platforms shape service generations.
Triage The Budget, Fix Core Capabilities
- Focus reform on the small set of capabilities that matter most in a fight instead of trying to rewrite the entire $1T budget.
- Use direct-report program managers to triage and fix priority programs quickly.