President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to accelerate weapons manufacturing across the United States, a move that underscores growing concerns inside the Pentagon about depleted missile stockpiles and fragile defense supply chains after months of conflict with Iran.
The White House announced Tuesday that Trump signed a memorandum authorizing the Defense Department to use emergency powers to address production bottlenecks affecting critical munitions and weapons systems. In the order, Trump warned that current conditions "may pose a direct threat to the national defense or its preparedness programs."
The decision comes at a striking moment. While the administration is mobilizing industry to build more missiles and ammunition, Trump is simultaneously projecting confidence that the war with Iran has ended.
Speaking at the G7 summit in France, Trump said a memorandum of understanding with Tehran will be released publicly in the coming days and that the agreement explicitly states that Iran "will not have a nuclear weapon." He added that the deal is expected to be formally signed later this week in Switzerland.
The contrast highlights a central challenge facing the administration: even if diplomacy succeeds, military planners are worried that the conflict has exposed vulnerabilities in America's defense industrial base.
According to the presidential memorandum, U.S. weapons manufacturers face limited production capacity, supply chain weaknesses and shortages of key components including rocket motors, igniters and guidance systems. The order gives Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authority to establish voluntary agreements with private industry to expand manufacturing capacity and accelerate production.
Behind those concerns is the enormous amount of military hardware consumed since the war began.
Officials and analysts estimate the United States has used more than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles and up to 2,000 air-defense interceptors during operations against Iran and in defending regional allies. Some assessments suggest it could take years to fully replenish certain stockpiles under current production rates.
The administration has already begun pressing major defense contractors to ramp up production. Earlier this month, White House officials met with executives from companies including Lockheed Martin, RTX, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and L3Harris to discuss expanding manufacturing capacity.
The effort is now extending beyond traditional defense companies.
General Motors and Lockheed Martin announced discussions aimed at using the automaker's manufacturing expertise and supply-chain capabilities to help increase production of critical weapons components. The Pentagon is encouraging broader participation from commercial manufacturers as it seeks to rebuild inventories faster.
Despite the military buildup, Trump has repeatedly argued that diplomacy is working.
Details emerging from the proposed U.S.-Iran agreement suggest the deal would extend an existing ceasefire, reopen maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and eventually allow Iran to resume oil exports under certain conditions. In exchange, Tehran would reaffirm that it will not pursue a nuclear weapon, according to Trump and U.S. officials.
Questions remain about whether the agreement can hold. Israel has distanced itself from the negotiations, and critics note that Iran's missile program and regional proxy networks remain largely intact. Analysts also point out that previous negotiations have stalled despite optimistic statements from both sides.
For now, the administration appears to be preparing for both possibilities: a diplomatic breakthrough and a prolonged military confrontation.
Trump may be promising that peace is around the corner, but his decision to invoke emergency wartime powers suggests Washington is planning for a future in which demand for missiles, interceptors and other advanced weapons remains extraordinarily high.
