Trump invokes Defense Production Act to boost munition production

President Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to bolster U.S. munition output as Iran-related hostilities drive high spending and stockpile concerns. In a memo released Tuesday to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump noted conditions that may pose a direct threat to national defense and described systemic constraints in the munitions base, including limited production capacity, fragile supply chains, long-lead dependencies, and bottlenecks. The memo delegates authority to foster voluntary agreements and action plans to support national defense. Assistant Secretary Michael Cadenazzi stressed the goal of establishing enduring capability, indicating more actions of this type could follow as the industrial base adapts to demand.