Trump invokes Defense Production Act for munitions, supply chains

U.S. President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to address constraints in weapons ​supply and development for munitions production and supply chains, according to a memo made ⁠public on Tuesday.

The move comes amid growing concern ‌in Washington about the capacity ​of U.S. weapons manufacturers to meet demand.

Solid rocket motors, igniters and guidance systems are among the most critical ⁠and capacity-constrained sub-systems needed for ‌weapons production, ‌both for legacy systems and future modernization programs.

“I hereby find that ⁠conditions exist which may pose a direct threat to the national ‌defense or its ‌preparedness programs,” Trump said in a June 11 memorandum to the Pentagon ⁠chief.

He cited “limited production capacity, fragile ​supply chains, long-lead ⁠dependencies, ​and related production bottlenecks.”

The memo to the defense secretary delegates authority to pursue voluntary agreements with private ⁠industry aimed at shoring up the defense industrial base.

The Defense Production Act allows ⁠the president or those granted authority to consult with representatives of industry, business, and other interests to ⁠establish voluntary agreements ‌to help provide for the ​national ‌defense, but only when conditions ​exist that may pose a direct threat.