US President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to compel American defense contractors to ramp up weapons production following concerns that recent military operations involving Iran have significantly depleted US stockpiles.
In a presidential determination signed last week, Trump said “conditions exist which may pose a direct threat to the national defense or its preparedness programs,” citing limitations in the country’s munitions industrial base.
The document, addressed to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, warned that structural challenges—including limited production capacity, fragile supply chains, and long-lead manufacturing dependencies—could hinder the United States’ ability to sustain and expand supplies of missiles, munitions, and other defense equipment.
“In particular, systemic constraints in the munitions industrial base… 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,” the order stated.
The move reflects growing concern within the administration over the state of US weapons reserves following the recent conflict with Iran, as well as ongoing military support for allies such as Israel and Ukraine. The Pentagon has long warned that rapid wartime consumption of advanced munitions is outpacing replenishment rates in the defense sector.
Speaking at the G7 summit in France, Trump described the final stages of the Iran conflict as “brutal,” noting that roughly “$200 million worth of bombs” were used during the operations.
While Pentagon officials, including Hegseth, have publicly insisted that US readiness remains intact, internal assessments have pointed to significant drawdowns. A Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) analysis estimated that the US used about 45% of its Precision Strike Missile stockpile, along with roughly half of its Patriot and THAAD missile inventories.
Despite these figures, Hegseth has dismissed claims of a crisis, describing concerns over depleted stockpiles as “a manufactured story.”
The Defense Production Act, a Cold War-era law, gives the US president authority to direct industrial production in support of national security needs. It allows the government to prioritize defense contracts, incentivize production of critical materials, and coordinate agreements with private industry.
Trump’s order instructs the Pentagon to activate provisions of the law to establish voluntary agreements with defense manufacturers and create an industrial advisory structure aimed at accelerating production timelines.
Defense analysts warn that replenishing advanced missile stockpiles could take several years, with estimates ranging from one to four years for partial recovery and longer for full strategic restoration, raising concerns about temporary vulnerabilities in other global theaters.