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During World War II, American auto manufacturers supported the U.S. Armed Forces by adapting engineering capabilities to be used for wartime production – and it looks like such a pivot could happen again.
According to a report from Fox Business, senior defense officials have said that the Department of War is focused on expanding the domestic defense industrial base to drive the continued success of American warfighters amid the conflict with Iran.
“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,” a Pentagon official told the outlet.
Another report from The Wall Street Journal alleged that such companies being tapped for potential munitions and military supply production were General Motors, GE Aerospace, and the Ford Motor Company.
According to GM, their defense production efforts date back to World War I. During that conflict, the company produced thousands of military trucks and vehicles, engines, and mortar shells. That production ramped up significantly during the Second World War, as the nation sought to build an “Arsenal of Democracy” amid the global conflict.
Now, as the United States continues to tread dangerous waters with Iran, the possibility of a protracted conflict looms on the horizon. A potential expansion of the defense industrial base, by tapping domestic manufacturers such as GM, suggests that the Pentagon could be bracing for a long-term war.
During a press briefing on Thursday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth argued that the U.S. military is becoming stronger every day, while Iranian power declines. He, like President Trump, has threatened to exact American strikes on Iranian infrastructure if its leaders decline further diplomatic negotiations.
“If Iran chooses poorly, then they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power, and energy,” Hegseth said.
So far, amid the ceasefire with Iran, peace talks have failed to yield a resolution. Currently, the U.S. is executing a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, which is stopping vessels from entering or exiting Iranian ports. This also comes amid President Trump’s Thursday announcement that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire.
