Trump invokes – President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act through a June 11 memo to force faster production of munitions, missiles, and related equipment amid concerns that U.S. stockpiles are being drained during the U.S.-led war with Iran. The move is un
Washington — The memo arrived quietly, but the message it carried was blunt: the White House believes the country’s defense readiness could be threatened if munitions output doesn’t catch up.
President Donald Trump used his executive authority to invoke the Defense Production Act. seeking to force defense companies to quickly produce more weaponry as his administration pushes lawmakers to approve additional defense spending. The step was laid out in a June 11 memo to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. filed in the Federal Register on Tuesday.
“I hereby find that conditions exist which may pose a direct threat to the national defense or its preparedness programs. ” Trump wrote. He added that production constraints and supply chain concerns “may impair the ability of the United States to produce. sustain. and expand the availability of munitions. missiles. and equipment required for the national defense.”.
Hegseth’s push landed on Capitol Hill the same day. He met with Senate Republicans about a $350 billion reconciliation package for additional Defense Department funding the administration wants lawmakers to pass—funding intended, in part, to replenish munitions.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said the meeting with Hegseth “was primarily about funding for the department” and that the Pentagon is “running short of funding they need in order to acquire the weapons and missiles and things like that that they need to protect the nation.”
The Defense Production Act, passed in the 1950s, gives the president broad powers to expand and expedite supply for defense needs. It can require private companies to prioritize federal orders, and it can also allow companies to collaborate in ways that could be seen as collusion or not competitive.
The law is often used during emergencies—after natural disasters, during terrorist attacks, or in responses to pandemics like Covid-19.
At the same time, Trump’s administration has faced pressure to explain why such urgency is needed. Hegseth has denied there is a munitions shortage. In an interview that aired Sunday. he said. “Our stockpiles are strong and they will only get stronger in the future.” On CBS’ “Face the Nation. ” he added. “That is a manufactured story that the media wants to peddle. and ultimately our stockpiles are great. and they’re only getting stronger.”.
The tension between the memo’s language and the public messaging didn’t appear out of nowhere. Top administration officials have been concerned about depleting stockpiles for months. and Trump has publicly urged defense companies to make more munitions. In March—just days into the war with Iran. dubbed Operation Epic Fury—Trump told reporters. “We have unlimited middle and upper ammunition. which is really what we’re using in this war. ” and a White House official later said he was referring to the range of the munitions.
Hegseth’s meeting with defense industry leaders, expected to happen last Friday, was delayed until this week or next week, after developments in negotiations between the U.S. and Iran to end the war dominated planning.
Those negotiations have been moving on a separate track. The U.S. and Iran agreed to a memorandum of understanding to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz while the two countries negotiate a broader deal over 60 days. The Trump administration hasn’t released details of the memorandum of understanding. and Trump has said they will be public after a signing ceremony Friday.
But even with the agreement announced Sunday, the situation on the waterline has not eased. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired multiple drones toward commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official said. The official said the U.S. military has been shooting down the drones before they can threaten commercial ships or U.S. military vessels and personnel in the region.
That’s the backdrop for the political fight over funding. The $350 billion reconciliation package Hegseth has been pressing for could pass without requiring votes from Democrats, according to a source with direct knowledge of Hegseth’s discussions.
Still, Republicans aren’t the only obstacle. Hegseth met with at least three Republicans on Tuesday: Cornyn, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming, and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
Cornyn supports the administration’s effort but said he is concerned Democrats wouldn’t back any new defense funding. The White House, however, is preparing a formal supplemental request to Congress, according to multiple senators.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she remains open to approving funds to cover war costs, but the administration needs to justify the expense. She has a history of working with Democrats on attempts to force Trump to end the war.
Democrats have not ruled out supporting a supplemental funding package. But reluctance is tied to the fact that the Iran war remains unresolved and to the absence of a thorough briefing from Trump administration officials. according to a person familiar with the administration’s conversations with lawmakers.
“As long as we are at war with Iran. I will not allow a supplemental to serve as the de facto authorization for the war. And I’ve been debating this with Republican colleagues,” Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, the top Democrat tasked with appropriating funds for the Pentagon, said in an interview last week.
Trump Defense Production Act munitions Pentagon funding Pete Hegseth Federal Register Strait of Hormuz war with Iran Operation Epic Fury Senate Republicans John Cornyn Lisa Murkowski Chris Coons
So basically they’re making bullets faster, cool.
I don’t get why this wasn’t done already. If stockpiles are “drained” because of Iran then who’s been in charge all this time? Seems like another excuse to pump more defense money.
Defense Production Act sounds like he can just boss companies around right? But isn’t that gonna cause shortages of other stuff too, like raw materials? Also the article says it’s about munitions and missiles, but I swear I read somewhere this is just to speed up contracts, not actual production.
Wait, the memo was “filed in the Federal Register” quietly, but it’s a big deal? Sounds like they want lawmakers to approve the $350 billion first, then act like they had no choice. I’m not saying I’m against defense, but this sounds like politics with a scary headline. Like why “amid concerns” instead of just saying the stockpile is already low?