‘Far too slow’: Trump tells defense contractors to make more supplies, better and faster

President Donald Trump has not been vague or bashful in talking about his plans for the American economy: He wants it to be the major, and only major, influence in world business activities.

He’s already used tariffs liberally to influence trades and transactions. And he assures that the military, which provides America with its ability to exert influence around the globe, needs to be far above any other.

Now he’s taking direct action to move the nation that direction, with a statement warning defense contractors to cut out the “dividends” and “stock buybacks” and focus on make more supplies, better and faster.

On social media, his comments were blunt:

All United State Defense Contractors, and the Defense Industry as a whole, BEWARE: While we make the best Military Equipment in the World (No other Country is even close!), Defense Contractors are currently issuing massive Dividends to their Shareholders and massive Stock Buybacks, at the expense and detriment of investing in Plants and Equipment. This situation will no longer be allowed or tolerated!

Also, Executive Pay Packages in the Defense Industry are exorbitant and unjustifiable given how slowly these Companies are delivering vital Equipment to our Military, and our Allies. Salaries, Stock Options, and every other form of Compensation are far too high for these Executives. Defense Companies are not producing our Great Military Equipment rapidly enough and, once produced, not maintaining it properly or quickly. From this moment forward, these Executives must build NEW and MODERN Production Plants, both for delivering and maintaining this important Equipment, and for building the latest Models of future Military Equipment. Until they do so, no Executive should be allowed to make in excess of $5 Million Dollars which, as high as it sounds, is a mere fraction of what they are making now. Additionally, the maintenance and repair of Equipment, once sold, is far too slow, and must be immediately enhanced. As President, I am demanding that maintenance be “spot on, on time.”

Therefore, I will not permit Dividends or Stock Buybacks for Defense Companies until such time as these problems are rectified — Likewise, for Salaries and Executive Compensation. MILITARY EQUIPMENT IS NOT BEING MADE FAST ENOUGH! It must be built now with the Dividends, Stock Buybacks, and Over Compensation of Executives, rather than borrowing from Financial Institutions, or getting the money from your Government. Longer term, this is good for both Executives and Shareholders, because it will be GREAT for our Country! Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

The U.S. military, in fact, had been diminished in influence under Democrat Joe Biden, before interest started growing again as the end of his term in office approached.

He had forced the military ranks to go with the transgender ideology. He had removed historic names from multiple bases and camps. Enlistment numbers fell after he took office. He lost American soldiers in his ill-timed and disorganized withdrawal of troops of Afghanistan.

A report at CNBC explained that shares of defense contractors General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman each dropped a few percentage points after the president’s comments.

While left-leaning publications have boasted that recruitment to the U.S. military branches started before Trump because they “made a comeback following a downturn triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic,” even they have admitted that Trump’s election could have influenced those numbers.

“There may be some American teenagers or their parents, more likely, who were more comfortable joining the military in a Republican administration than a Democratic administration,” commented Katherine Kuzminski of the think tank Center for a New American Security.

For the time period that led up to Trump’s re-election, military enlistment was up 12.5% over the previous year, reports confirm.

The numbers have continued to climb during the time period that covered Trump’s re-election and his move back into the White House for his second term.

Trump, also on social media, explained his bigger strategy:

“After long and difficult negotiations with Senators, Congressmen, Secretaries, and other Political Representatives, I have determined that, for the Good of our Country, especially in these very troubled and dangerous times, our Military Budget for the year 2027 should not be $1 Trillion Dollars, but rather $1.5 Trillion Dollars. This will allow us to build the ‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe.

“If it weren’t for the tremendous numbers being produced by Tariffs from other Countries, many of which, in the past, have ‘ripped off’ the United States at levels never seen before, I would stay at the $1 Trillion Dollar number but, because of Tariffs, and the tremendous Income that they bring, amounts being generated, that would have been unthinkable in the past (especially just one year ago during the Sleepy Joe Biden Administration, the Worst President in the History of our Country!), we are able to easily hit the $1.5 Trillion Dollar number while, at the same time, producing an unparalleled Military Force, and having the ability to, at the same time, pay down Debt, and likewise, pay a substantial Dividend to moderate income Patriots within our Country!”