Executive Order 14372

Executive Order 14372
Great Seal of the United States
Long titlePrioritizing the Warfighter in Defense Contracting
Legislative history
  • Signed into law by President Donald Trump on January 7, 2026

Executive Order 14372, titled Prioritizing the Warfighter in Defense Contracting, is an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on January 7, 2026. The order establishes a federal policy to accelerate defense procurement and strengthen the defense industrial base by prioritizing warfighter capability and readiness, including measures to address contractor performance, production capacity, and delivery timelines.

Background

Prior to the order, lawmakers and analysts had raised concerns that some major U.S. defense contractors were prioritising shareholder returns, including stock buybacks and dividends, over timely weapons production and contract performance. In the weeks following the order, the Pentagon began preparations to identify underperforming contractors that could face restrictions on such payouts, linking shareholder compensation to contract performance and delivery timelines.

References

  1. ↑ "Prioritizing the Warfighter in Defense Contracting". Federal Register. January 13, 2026. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  2. ↑ Orders, Executive (January 7, 2026). "Prioritizing the Warfighter in Defense Contracting". The White House. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  3. ↑ FitzGerald, Marcus Weisgerber and Drew (January 7, 2026). "Trump Orders Crackdown on Defense Industry Stock Buybacks". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  4. ↑ Miller, Alex (March 25, 2026). "Hawley, Warren team up to back Trump, crack down on defense contractor payouts". Fox News. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  5. ↑ Stone, Mike; Jain, Aishwarya (January 9, 2026). "Defense firms seek legal advice over Trump's clampdown on payouts". Reuters. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  6. ↑ Stone, Mike (February 6, 2026). "Pentagon poised to curb some defense contractors' payouts under Trump order". Reuters. Retrieved April 11, 2026.