January 20, 2026
Are Defense Firms Showering Their Shareholders with Too Much Money?
In early January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order threatening bans on defense contractors paying dividends or buying their stock back. CNAS program director Stacie Pettyjohn joined NPR to discuss the Trump Administration’s frustrations with the weapons supply chain and whether this reflects the state tightening its grip on the industry that arms the U.S. military.
Listen to the full podcast on NPR.
More from CNAS
-
Experts Make Their Picks for Acquisition Reform Litmus Tests
If the department cannot pass these easy tests, there is little reason to believe it will do well on the harder ones....
By Stacie Pettyjohn
-
Trump Rues State of Iran Talks, Says Prefer Not to Strike
President Donald Trump expressed displeasure with the current state of negotiations with Iran but stopped short of threatening fresh military action in the nine-week conflict ...
By Becca Wasser
-
Leveraging the Defense Innovation Ecosystem for Maximum Effect
Introduction At a moment when the resilience of the wartime acquisition system is a national priority, start-ups, primes, investors, and the U.S. government must align to turn...
By Aaron Peterman & Sohaila Mali
-
Markets React as Trump Orders Military Action in Hormuz
President Trump orders the U.S. military to target any boat laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions with Iran and sending oil prices sharply higher. Bloomber...
By Becca Wasser