Get Aligned or Get Left Behind at the Pentagon

Cato At Liberty ^ | July 29, 2026 | Tad DeHaven

[GrootheWanderer]

A LinkedIn post shared by George Kollitides, head of the Pentagon’s Economic Defense Unit (EDU), gives it a more troubling meaning.

The post by a mining executive described Washington as the “state as limited partner” and declared that “sovereign backing is now a competitive variable.” Companies receiving federal equity investments or debt guarantees, it says, “will have easier access to offtake agreements, permitting support, and follow-on institutional capital.” Meanwhile, “projects without state alignment will face higher hurdles, regardless of grade or jurisdiction.” Those words came from the mining executive, but Kollitides chose to amplify them. Read alongside Feinberg’s warning, they offer a remarkably candid description of the emerging arrangement. Get aligned with the government, and opportunities multiply. Remain outside the favored circle, and the hurdles grow.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Government; War
KEYWORDS: defense; economy; government; socialism

[GrootheWanderer]

One, just the concept of the Pentagon giving preference to companies in which it owns stakes is a bad idea from both an economic and national defense standpoint.

But how in the hell is the government official in charge of those purchases also serving as a director of an investment bank that facilitates those purchases, a bank which brags about his government position in its prospectus

[Bob Wills is still the king]

“But how in the hell is the government official in charge of those purchases also serving as a director of an investment bank that facilitates those purchases, a bank which brags about his government position in its prospectus”
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Because conflicts-of-interest are no longer considered unethical or illegal, and Trump is not willing to fire the people doing it. It’s going to bite him along the way, if it’s not already doing so.

[GrootheWanderer]

I know someone in our local congressman’s office (Republican) who told me if people back home knew how many people in the administration and Congress were using their jobs to enrich themselves there would be riots. He said he’s never seen it so bad.

[lastchance]

It does raise concerns and warrants scrutiny.

[lastchance]

No doubt any who point this out on here will here cries of “TDS!”.

[kaktuskid]

He tried to, the judges keep overturning the firings.