President Donald Trump is scheduled to headline a defense summit at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, where he is expected to emphasize investments in battlefield technology. The gathering occurs at a time when the war in Iran has notably reduced U.S. stockpiles of key armaments, including Tomahawk cruise missiles and Patriot and THAAD interceptors.
The summit, organized by Republican Sen. David McCormick, has featured prominent defense and national security figures such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The event also includes leaders from major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and Boeing, as well as representatives from financial and technology firms including JPMorgan, Blackstone, and Palantir.
Trump has frequently visited Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state. His appearance at the Mack Trucks facility last month was seen as an effort to support Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie's reelection campaign. While Trump won Pennsylvania in 2016 and 2024, and McCormick is not up for election this cycle, Republican concerns about the war and the cost of living, coupled with the president's approval ratings, are factors in their efforts to maintain control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections.
The White House stated that the summit aims to bring together defense leaders and significant global investors to underscore national security's importance and explore investment opportunities.
This year's summit, which began Tuesday, has already seen announcements of planned investments. ZeroEyes, a threat detection company based near Philadelphia, announced a $10 million investment in artificial intelligence and machine learning research. Gecko Robotics, based in Pittsburgh, plans to open a new manufacturing facility to integrate robotics into defense production and bolster the nation's defense industrial base.
An analysis released in May indicated that U.S. military contractors would require at least three years to replenish stockpiles of Tomahawk missiles, used for deep-strike missions, and Patriot and THAAD interceptors, designed for missile and drone defense. These dwindling stocks are partly attributed to repeated U.S. strikes on Iran, raising concerns about the U.S. military's capacity in a potential future conflict with China. China has set a goal for its military to be capable of taking Taiwan by force if necessary by 2027.
Additionally, Trump recently pledged to grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air-defense systems, a development that could significantly impact its war with Russia, though actual weapon production is likely years away. Trump has also advocated for a $1.5 trillion defense budget proposal for 2027 to address shortfalls, but this spending package is currently stalled in Congress and would still necessitate substantial time to expand production capabilities.
Jake Loosararian, co-founder and CEO of Gecko Robotics, emphasized the need for U.S. defense companies to accelerate supply chains to reduce the time required for new technologies to reach widespread production. Loosararian stated that Trump understands the importance of immediate practical impact as well as long-term strategic goals.