Pentagon officials have approached automakers and other manufacturers to help increase weapons production, a practice similar to that during World War II, The Wall Street Journal reports. According to the outlet, top defense officials spoke with executives at Ford Motor and General Motors about producing weapons and other military supplies. Exclusive: The Pentagon has approached automakers and other American manufacturers about playing a larger role in weapons production https://t.co/FoyyuTUtAa — The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) April 15, 2026 More from The Wall Street Journal: The Pentagon is interested in enlisting the companies to use their personnel and factory capacity to increase production of munitions and other equipment as the wars in Ukraine and Iran deplete stocks. The talks were preliminary and wide-ranging, the people said. Defense officials said American manufacturers might be needed to backstop traditional defense companies and asked whether the companies could rapidly shift to defense work. GE Aerospace and the vehicle and machinery maker Oshkosh were among the companies involved in the talks with defense officials. “The Department of War is committed to rapidly expanding the defense industrial base by leveraging all available commercial solutions and technologies to ensure our warfighters maintain a decisive advantage,” a Pentagon official told FOX Business. “The Department is aggressively pursuing and integrating the best of American innovation, wherever it resides, to deliver production at scale and drive resiliency across supply chains,” the official added. Trump administration taps automakers to boost weapons production in WWII-style push https://t.co/oBptSo3bXW — FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) April 16, 2026 FOX Business shared further: Defense officials said accelerating weapons production is being treated as a matter of national security, according to the report. Officials also asked companies to identify barriers to taking on additional defense work, including contracting requirements and challenges with the bidding process. The Pentagon’s recent budget request of $1.5 trillion includes funding for munitions and drone manufacturing. In a statement provided to FOX Business, Oshkosh said it “brings the full strength of a global enterprise, combining scale, financial stability, and advanced, flexible manufacturing, to efficiently ramp production while delivering consistent quality and reliability for both commercial and military customers.” “We are committed to regularly evaluating how our available capacity can meet the Department of War’s evolving needs, and we are proud to support national defense and the service members who rely on our capabilities and technologies,” a spokesperson said.