Eisenhower Warns of Military-Industrial Complex in Farewell Address

President Dwight Eisenhower used his farewell address to warn the American public about the growing influence of what he called the "military-industrial complex" — the alliance between the defense industry and the Pentagon. Eisenhower, a five-star general and Supreme Allied Commander in World War II, cautioned that this entanglement posed a threat to democratic governance and sound defense policy. He urged Congress and the public to remain vigilant against misplaced power that could corrupt defense procurement decisions.