Trump Criticizes Defense Firms on Weapons Production Speed and Stock Buybacks, Urges New Plant Investments

This analysis is rooted in the December 22, 2025 Wall Street Journal report [1], supplemented by complementary sources. President Trump targeted defense firms on two critical issues: slow weapons production that fails to meet high U.S. ally demand, and the allocation of funds to stock buybacks instead of production capacity expansion. He called for redirecting buyback resources to new production plants [2] and scheduled a Florida meeting with prime contractors the following week to address production schedules [1].

The criticism aligns with longstanding industry challenges: a 2025 DoD Inspector General report [4] noted Lockheed Martin (LMT) F-35s had only 50% availability in 2024 due to maintenance issues, highlighting systemic production bottlenecks. Additionally, defense firms have engaged in substantial buybacks—Lockheed Martin announced a $6 billion program in 2023, and Raytheon Technologies (RTX) a $10 billion program in 2024 [5]—reinforcing the president’s focus on capital allocation priorities.

1. Trump’s remarks reflect a broader political narrative linking corporate financial engineering (stock buybacks) to reduced domestic production capacity, framing defense readiness and ally commitments as high-stakes priorities.
2. The planned contractor meeting suggests potential policy pressure or guidance to address DoD-identified production shortcomings, which have persisted in recent years [4].
3. The criticism emerges amid a 2025 peak in defense industry activity, as noted by Defense One [2], amplifying the urgency of resolving production inefficiencies.

• Risks
  : Defense firms may face political pressure to scale back stock buybacks, potentially impacting near-term shareholder returns. Uncertainty around policy changes could also affect investor sentiment in the sector.
• Opportunities
  : Increased investment in new production plants could enhance long-term production capacity, better positioning firms to meet allied demand and secure future DoD contracts.

• Event Date
  : December 22, 2025 (EST)
• Core Issues
  : Slow weapons production, excessive stock buybacks, and the need for new production plant investments
• Follow-Up Action
  : Scheduled meeting with defense prime contractors in Florida the following week
• Contextual Data
  : 2025 DoD report on F-35 availability issues [4]; recent large buybacks by LMT ($6B, 2023) and RTX ($10B, 2024) [5]