Trump Shifts US Industry to Wartime Footing for Weapons

Donald Trump announced that the United States is holding discussions with automakers Ford and General Motors, as well as GE Aerospace and Oshkosh, to convert civilian plants for weapons production. The initiative focuses on replenishing stockpiles of Patriot air-defense missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles, which were depleted during a recent conflict with Iran and through military support for Ukraine.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the industrial shift as putting the U.S. on a wartime footing. To fund this expansion, the administration has requested a record military budget of approximately $1.5 trillion for the 2027 fiscal year. Simultaneously, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll announced the creation of domestic testing ranges that mimic Ukrainian battlefield conditions to advance drone technology. The Pentagon is also seeking producers for 300,000 low-cost kamikaze drones, with a planned expenditure of $54.6 billion next year.

Russian officials reacted sharply to the developments. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov characterized the move as the militarization of the U.S. economy, while President Vladimir Putin claimed that NATO and European Union leaders are preparing for war with Russia, citing increased defense spending by Canada and European members in 2025.