Trump presses defense executives to boost weapons production

CARLISLE, Pennsylvania, July 15 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump urged top defense executives on Wednesday to accelerate weapons production and expand manufacturing capacity as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East strain U.S. stockpiles and expose bottlenecks in the nation's industrial base.

Speaking at Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick's Defense and Innovation Summit, Trump exhorted armsmakers, "We have the best quality in the world, but we need a little more speed."

Trump's appearance underscored a broader focus by the administration on defense production as prolonged conflicts have consumed large quantities of missiles, interceptors and other weapons, while highlighting the limits of the U.S. military supply chain and production capacity.

The event at the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania gathered senior military leaders, defense contractors, investors and technology executives to discuss strengthening the U.S. industrial base and speeding the delivery of advanced weapons systems.