Trump Announces Defense Companies Will Increase Production of Certain Weapons Fourfold

US Defense Firms to Ramp Up Advanced Weapons Production After White House Meeting

Photographer: Rachel Wisniewski/Bloomberg

President Donald Trump announced that the nation’s leading defense contractors have committed to significantly increasing output of certain advanced weapon systems. This decision follows a White House meeting, prompted by concerns that ongoing military operations against Iran are straining US military supplies.

“We just wrapped up a productive discussion with the top US defense manufacturers, focusing on expanding production and adjusting schedules,” Trump shared on social media Friday. “They’ve pledged to boost output of our most sophisticated weaponry fourfold, aiming to reach peak production levels as quickly as possible.”

Top Stories from Bloomberg

• US Sinking of Iranian Warship Piles Pressure on India’s Modi
• China Tells Top Refiners to Halt Diesel and Gasoline Exports
• ‘As Dead as Fried Chicken’: Why Trump Finally Fired Noem
• Oracle Plans Thousands of Job Cuts in Face of AI Cash Crunch
• Modi Stresses Dialog, Diplomacy After US Sinks Iran Warship

The term “Exquisite class” is believed to reference highly advanced, complex missiles designed to neutralize challenging targets. Examples include the Standard Missile-6 and Tomahawk from RTX Corp., as well as Lockheed Martin’s latest Patriot Missile variant, the MSE.

Trump noted that he met with CEOs from major defense companies such as BAE Systems, Boeing, Honeywell Aerospace, L3Harris Missile Solutions, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon. He also indicated that another meeting is scheduled in two months.

WATCH: “Our munitions are full up,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says about the ability of the US to carry out its campaign in Iran. Source: Bloomberg

The president emphasized that efforts to expand production were already underway before the recent meeting. “The expansion process began three months ago, and manufacturing of many of these weapons is already in progress,” he stated. “States across the country are competing to host these new facilities.”

While the meeting highlighted the urgency of increasing output for key weapons systems—especially as conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine put pressure on inventories—Trump sought to reassure the public about the nation’s military readiness.

“We have an almost limitless supply of medium and upper-medium grade munitions, which are currently being used in Iran and were recently deployed in Venezuela. Nonetheless, we have placed additional orders at these levels,” Trump wrote.

However, securing more funding for weapons could face significant hurdles in Congress, potentially delaying approval for weeks or even months.

The gathering with defense industry leaders came shortly after Trump demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” reducing hopes for a swift resolution to the conflict. The war is now entering its second week, with no clear end in sight. US and Israeli forces continue to target Iranian sites, while Iran has responded with drone and missile attacks on neighboring countries that host American troops.

White House Responds to Munitions Concerns

Earlier on Friday, the White House dismissed worries about dwindling munitions stockpiles.

“The US military maintains ample reserves of munitions, ammunition, and weaponry to continue its campaign against the Iranian regime and fulfill the objectives of Operation Epic Fury,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “President Trump has always prioritized strengthening our military, which is why this meeting with defense contractors was planned weeks in advance.”

Before the US and Israel began their strikes on Iran, Trump had repeatedly criticized leading defense firms for prioritizing shareholder returns over weapons production. The gap between supply and demand—especially for high-demand systems like Patriot interceptors—has widened with each wave of Iranian-made missiles and drones targeting cities such as Dubai and Doha.

In the months leading up to the conflict, the Pentagon secured seven-year agreements to rapidly increase production of Lockheed’s advanced Patriot and THAAD interceptors, as well as RTX’s Tomahawk and other missiles.

Officials have also arranged deals to speed up production of Northrop’s stealthy B-21 bomber and announced plans to invest $1 billion in a potential public offering of an L3Harris division that manufactures solid rocket motors.

Despite these agreements, they are unlikely to significantly replenish supplies for the current conflict with Iran, as ongoing attacks continue to deplete missile-defense stockpiles.

Lockheed Martin, for instance, would require three years to triple its annual output of PAC-3 missiles from around 600 to 2,000, according to CEO Jim Taiclet. Additionally, Lockheed’s framework agreement is still preliminary and not a finalized contract, noted Tom Karako, director of the missile defense project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

Reporting assistance by Tony Capaccio and Roxana Tiron.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

• Elon Musk Is Backing ‘JD Vance 2.0.’ Some Republicans Aren’t Sure That’s a Good Thing
• How Data Centers Became a Casualty of War
• ChatGPT Backlash Reveals New Pitfalls in Aligning With Trump
• Calvin Klein Is Missing Its Carolyn Bessette Kennedy Moment
• The Caribbean Nation Unexpectedly Going Along With Trump’s Drug-Boat Narrative

©2026 Bloomberg L.P.