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U.S. President Donald Trump attended a musical event ahead of the G7 Summit dinner in Evian-les-Bains, France, on June 16 (local time). / Photo courtesy of Reuters, Yonhap News Agency

U.S. President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to clear production bottlenecks in the nation's munitions and weapons supply chains.

The move comes amid deepening concerns within Washington that American defense contractors may struggle to keep pace with surging demand, Reuters reported on June 16 (local time).

According to a memorandum made public on the day, President Trump utilized his authority under the DPA to delegate powers to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, enabling the Pentagon chief to pursue voluntary agreements with private industry leaders to bolster the national defense industrial base.

The DPA stipulates that during times of national security interest or emergencies, the president—or a designated proxy—can consult with representatives from private industry and business sectors to forge voluntary pacts aimed at securing critical defense capabilities.

Solid rocket motors, igniters, and guidance systems have been identified as the core components facing the most severe production constraints in sustaining and modernizing existing weapons systems.

In a letter sent to Secretary Hegseth on June 11, President Trump stated, "I find that conditions exist that pose a direct threat to defense and readiness programs." He cited "limited production capacity, vulnerable supply chains, reliance on long-lead items, and associated production bottlenecks" as the driving factors behind the threat.

The invocation of the DPA is interpreted as a clear signal of the administration's resolve to mobilize private defense contractors, ensuring a more effective response to the recent surge in global weapons demand fueled by international security crises.

                                                                                                            Lee Jung-eun