A new White House memo directs War Secretary Pete Hegseth to increase U.S. weapons production. According to the memo, there are conditions that may threaten the nation’s “preparedness programs.”
“I hereby find that conditions exist which may pose a direct threat to the national defense or its preparedness programs,” the memo reads. “In particular, systemic constraints in the munitions industrial base, including limited production capacity, fragile supply chains, long-lead dependencies, and related production bottlenecks, 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.”
“I hereby delegate to the Secretary of War the authority under sections 708(c)(1) and 708(d) of the Act to provide for the making of voluntary agreements and plans of action to help provide for the national defense,” it continues. “The Secretary of War’s authority is subject to fulfilling the consultation and approval requirement of section 708(c)(2) of the Act.”
The memo comes as Hegseth told CBS’s “Face the Nation” that the idea of there being a stockpile issue is a “manufactured story.”
“That is a manufactured story that the media wants to peddle and ultimately our stockpiles are great, and they’re only getting stronger,” Hegseth said. He added, “We’re building more than ever before. The Biden administration gave away hundreds of billions to Ukraine, and so President Trump had to refill, and he has, and we have, in real time.”
Meanwhile, President Trump’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 asks Congress for $1.5 trillion in defense spending. Reports indicate that the number is a 42% increase from past budgets. Non-defense spending is cut by $73 billion.
“President Trump is committed to rebuilding our military to secure peace through strength,” a White House summary of the military portion of the budget reads. “The President’s historic FY 2027 Budget fully funds the Golden Dome to protect the homeland, invests in our critical minerals and munitions, and provides a pay raise for military personnel.”
