Trump tries to whip the defense industrial base to his will while urging increase in spending

Published January 8, 2026 1:23pm ET



President Donald Trump announced that he would seek to rein in defense contracting companies while also calling for a 50% increase in U.S. defense spending.

The president signed an executive order on Wednesday targeting underperforming companies that fail to meet contractual obligations, specifically calling for a limit on stock buybacks and executive salaries.

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