Trump Invokes Defense Production Act to Accelerate Munitions Production
President Trump issued a Defense Production Act order to speed up weapons manufacturing as the administration seeks congressional approval for a $350 billion defense funding package.
President Donald Trump issued a Defense Production Act (DPA) order on June 11, citing potential threats to national defense and supply-chain constraints that could limit the United States’ ability to produce and sustain munitions, missiles and related equipment. The memo, filed in the Federal Register, directs Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to address the shortfall.
Hegseth met with Senate Republicans on Tuesday to discuss a $350 billion reconciliation package intended to replenish depleted stockpiles. Senator John Cornyn said the meeting focused on “funding for the department” and noted the Pentagon’s need for additional resources to acquire weapons and missiles.
The DPA, a 1950s-era law, allows the president to prioritize federal orders and facilitate collaboration among private firms, a power often used in emergencies such as natural disasters or pandemics. Administration officials have expressed concern about dwindling munitions supplies for months, and Trump has publicly urged defense contractors to increase production.
While the White House has claimed ample ammunition, Hegseth told CBS’s “Face the Nation” that stockpiles are “strong and they will only get stronger in the future.” The administration is also preparing a formal supplemental request to Congress, though Democratic leaders have signaled reluctance to approve additional funding without a clear briefing on the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Negotiations between the United States and Iran have produced a memorandum of understanding to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but Iranian forces have continued to launch drones toward commercial vessels, prompting U.S. military interceptions.
Republican senators, including Cornyn, John Barrasso and Lindsey Graham, have been briefed on the funding proposal, which could potentially pass without Democratic votes. However, senators such as Lisa Murkowski and Chris Coons have indicated that any supplemental funding must be justified and not serve as a de facto war authorization.