President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act on June 11 to bolster delivery of weapons whose stockpiles have been depleted by the 15-week war in Iran and other conflicts [1, 2]. His order directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to make voluntary agreements and plans of action aimed at addressing systemic constraints in the munitions industrial base [1, 2].
The ongoing conflict with Iran has raised concerns that US stockpiles of critical munitions have been drawn down and resources stretched thin [1, 2]. The Trump administration has indicated a desire to limit resource support to allies such as Ukraine to prioritize rebuilding the domestic industrial base [1, 2]. However, Defense Secretary Hegseth downplayed worries over munitions shortages, calling the concerns "foolishly and unhelpfully overstated" and asserting that "we have plenty of what we need" [1, 2].
Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao said a pause in an arms sales package for Taiwan was intended to "make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury," the operational name for ongoing US operations against Iran [1]. Meanwhile, Congress has been authorizing multi-year contracts and funding to boost critical munitions, including missile systems from RTX and Lockheed Martin [1].
In May 2026, prior to the invocation of the Defense Production Act, Hegseth publicly stated that munitions stockpile concerns were overstated and supplies remained sufficient [1, 2]. The June 11 directive aims to address the strained supply chain by promoting voluntary agreements within the defense industrial base to increase production capacity and readiness [1, 2].
