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A White House memorandum to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says limited capacity, fragile supply chains and long-lead production problems are weakening the nation’s ability to produce munitions, missiles and other defense equipment.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The White House warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that persistent problems inside the nation’s weapons production system pose a “direct threat” to U.S. defense preparedness, according to a memorandum filed Tuesday for publication in the Federal Register.
The June 11 memorandum said the United States faces major constraints in its munitions industrial base, including limited production capacity, vulnerable supply chains and long-lead dependencies that are slowing the country’s ability to produce and maintain critical defense supplies.
The memo said those bottlenecks are affecting the production and sustainment of munitions, missiles and other equipment needed for national defense.
According to the White House, the constraints are systematic and significant enough to require action under the Defense Production Act. The memorandum directs Hegseth to provide voluntary agreements and plans of action to address the industrial-base challenges.
The warning comes as the Pentagon faces continued questions about the strength of U.S. stockpiles and the ability of defense contractors to replenish weapons supplies at the pace required for national security needs.
Hegseth last week rejected claims that the United States is facing a munitions crisis. In an interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” he called the issue a “manufactured story” and said the media was promoting a false narrative. He said U.S. stockpiles are strong and improving, CBS News reported.
The memorandum, however, points to production limitations and supply-chain weaknesses as problems that could impair military readiness if not addressed.
In 2025, Hegseth urged leaders of major U.S. defense contractors to increase weapons production amid concerns about depleted stockpiles, Just the News reported.
The new White House memo places the issue inside a formal national defense framework by invoking the Defense Production Act, a law that allows the federal government to coordinate with industry to prioritize and expand production of materials and equipment considered essential to national security.
The administration’s directive calls for voluntary agreements and plans of action, signaling that the White House wants the Defense Department and private industry to coordinate more directly on expanding output and reducing delays.
The memo does not identify specific weapons systems in the information provided, but it describes the broader industrial base as strained by limited capacity and fragile supply chains. Those constraints, the White House said, are impairing the country’s ability to produce and sustain the military equipment needed for defense readiness.
The filing is expected to be published Wednesday in the Federal Register.
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