![A chart showing key US munition stockpiles and timelines to rebuild them.]() The question of how to refill the US’ dwindling cache of munitions will take center stage at the White House today, as Trump gathers defense companies to talk about juicing production. “We’re really in a big strong economic push to do the weapons,” Trump said Monday, adding that car companies with “excess capacity” would also help produce missiles. The meeting follows one in March with defense contractors and is expected to include similar participants. The Iran war has eroded stockpiles of expensive weapons that take months to build. The Pentagon offered no details about the meeting itself, but chief spokesman Sean Parnell said the military “has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President’s choosing.” Meanwhile, Congress is looking at barring defense contractors from executing stock buybacks or paying dividends without Pentagon approval, an extension of a January executive order. — Morgan Chalfant |