August 13, 2017

The Trump Administration Needs to Consider These Factors When Reviewing National Defense

Last month, President Trump ordered a review of the national defense industrial base. The topic often gets interest on the Hill, and occasionally from secretaries of defense, but this effort marks the first major executive review.

This necessary effort will assess the means of wartime production, ability to produce in times of crises, and possible supply chain disruptions – domestically or internationally. Conversations with administration officials indicate the purpose is a strategic study of America’s vulnerabilities, which is critical to maintaining continued U.S. access to relevant resources and capabilities in the event of war.

However, as presently designed, there are three key areas for improvement beyond what the White House has described.

Read the full op-ed in the Independent Journal Review.

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