President Donald Trump signs an executive order aboard Air Force One in May 2020. Trump recently invoked the Defense Production Act to secure American missile stockpiles. (The White House/Shealah Craighead)

What Is the “Defense Production Act,” and Why Is Trump Using It?

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Trump’s decision to invoke the Defense Production Act comes as the Pentagon faces a worrying shortfall in missile stocks.

Last week, President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA), a Korean War-era law that gives the federal government extraordinary powers to accelerate production for national security purposes. In the order, Trump told Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to “provide for the making of voluntary agreements and plans of action to help provide for the national defense.”

The move comes as concerns grow over US munitions inventories, depleted through Operation Epic Fury and through America’s long-term support for Ukraine since February 2022 and Israel since October 2023.

What Exactly Is the Defense Production Act?

The Defense Production Act was passed in 1950 during the Korean War to........

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