Trump Invokes Defense Production Act To Boost Weapons Output After Iran War

Last Updated:June 18, 2026, 06:25 IST

Trump said conditions existed that could threaten US national defence preparedness, citing weaknesses in the country's munitions industrial base.

US President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to accelerate weapons manufacturing and address concerns over depleted military stockpiles following the conflict with Iran and continued US support for allies in other global conflicts.

In an order, Trump said conditions existed that could threaten US national defence preparedness, citing weaknesses in the country’s munitions industrial base.

“I find that conditions exist which may pose a direct threat to the national defense or its preparedness programs," Trump wrote in a directive to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The order cited “systemic constraints" within the defence manufacturing sector, including limited production capacity, supply chain vulnerabilities, long-lead dependencies and other bottlenecks that could hamper the production of missiles, munitions and military equipment.

The move gives the administration additional authority to direct and prioritise defence-related manufacturing and underscores growing concern within the government about the pace at which critical weapons can be replenished.

The Pentagon has long expressed concerns about the defence industry’s ability to rapidly increase production during periods of heightened military demand. Those concerns intensified following the recent war with Iran, during which the US is reported to have expended substantial quantities of advanced missiles and precision-guided munitions.

Speaking from the G7 summit in France, Trump said the final stages of the conflict were particularly intense.

“The last two days were brutal," Trump said, adding that approximately “$200 million worth of bombs" were used during the fighting.

“It is expensive too, by the way, aside from everything else," he said.

According to a recent analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the US expended at least 45% of its Precision Strike Missile inventory during recent military operations. The report also estimated that roughly half of US Patriot air defence interceptor missiles and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile stockpiles have been used.

The Defense Production Act, enacted during the Korean War in 1950, grants the president broad authority to mobilise domestic industry in support of national security objectives. The law allows the government to prioritise contracts, incentivise production of critical materials and enter agreements with private companies to expand industrial capacity.

The legislation has been used by multiple administrations. Trump invoked the DPA during the Covid-19 pandemic to increase production of medical equipment such as ventilators and again earlier this year to support domestic mineral production. Former President Joe Biden also used the law to accelerate clean energy manufacturing.

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