The Trump administration is reportedly discussing whether to invoke the Defense Production Act to compel U.S. manufacturers to accelerate output of munitions as stockpiles come under strain from the war with Iran.
The conversations, raised in private briefings with Congress, reflect growing concerns inside the administration and on Capitol Hill that sustained operations in Operation Epic Fury could deplete key reserves, NBC News reported. The move would go further than President Trump’s public calls for faster production by defense contractors.
“We have unlimited middle and upper ammunition, which is really what we’re using in this war,” Trump told reporters.
A White House official later clarified that “middle and upper” referred to the range of the munitions. Trump also said in a Politico interview that defense companies are “under emergency orders” and “are on a rapid tear to build the various things we need.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that the military has sufficient supplies:
“The U.S. military has more than enough munitions, ammo, and weapons stockpiles to achieve the goals of Operation Epic Fury laid out by President Trump — and beyond,” Leavitt said, per NBC News. “Nevertheless, President Trump has always been intensely focused on strengthen our Armed Forces and he will continue to call on defense contractors to more speedily build American-made weapons, which are the best in the world.”
Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell added that the Defense Department “has everything it needs to execute any mission at the time and place of the president’s choosing and on any timeline.”
“President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have made restoring American military dominance their top priority from day one, and American dominance has been proved again and again following every major military operation under this administration,” Parnell said.
U.S. Central Command Chief Adm. Brad Cooper said Tuesday that forces “struck nearly 2,000 targets with more than 2,000 munitions” in the operation’s first 100 hours.
Administration officials told lawmakers in congressional briefings this week that more munitions are needed and that current production rates are too slow. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had privately warned Trump before the strikes that air-defense stockpiles were already low following the “12-Day War” with Iran in June of 2025 and that a prolonged campaign now could create risks.
The Defense Production Act would require companies to prioritize certain weapons. Trump used it during the COVID-19 pandemic for personal protective equipment, and former President Joe Biden invoked it for baby formula and solar panels.
A senior White House official said Trump has not personally discussed invoking the law but wants contractors to move as quickly as possible. Analysts said the main concern centers on defensive missiles and interceptors rather than offensive munitions.
Mark Montgomery, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the act could give the White House flexibility to draw down reserves knowing they could be rebuilt quickly. “That would solve next year’s problem,” Montgomery said.
Kelly Grieco of the Stimson Center estimated the U.S. has deployed about half its interceptor missiles to the Middle East and could exhaust them in roughly a month at current usage rates. Allies such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also rely on the same Patriot systems, creating a long replenishment backlog.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said after briefings that he feels “good about where we are” on defensive munitions and hopes the operation ends quickly enough to avoid emergency measures.
Accurate figures remain classified.
