President Donald Trump met with executives from seven defense companies on Friday, as announced in a social media post, while the Pentagon works to replenish stocks depleted by US strikes on Iran and other recent military operations.
The meeting highlights the Trump administration’s desire to strengthen weapon stocks after the operation against Iran depleted ammunition.
“We have just concluded a very good meeting with the largest American weapon manufacturing companies, during which we discussed production and production schedules,” said Trump in a social media post.
Companies such as Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, RTX, BAE Systems, Boeing, Honeywell Aerospace, L3Harris, and Northrop Grumman participated in the meeting, Trump stated.
The Pentagon negotiators were unable to finalize agreements with defense companies as quickly as desired, according to a US official.
The administration has been increasing pressure on defense companies to prioritize production over shareholder compensation. In January, Trump signed a decree to identify companies not fulfilling contracts while distributing profits to shareholders.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and military operations in Israel, the US has depleted billions of dollars in weapon stocks, including artillery systems, ammunition, and anti-tank missiles.
Preparations ahead of the Friday meeting included a meeting organized by Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg with defense industry entrepreneurs on Wednesday, which had not been previously reported.
The demand for systems like the PAC-3 missile defense system has increased in the US and among allies amid heightened geopolitical tensions and conflict in Iran.
The White House meeting could coincide with the release of a request for an additional budget of around $50 billion. These funds would finance the replacement of weapons used in recent conflicts, particularly in the Middle East. The figure is preliminary and could change based on the operation’s duration.
The additional request would be in addition to the $150 billion defense spending included in the Republican bill known as the “one big beautiful bill.”
