It’s been a busy morning at the White House. Honestly, if you’ve been following the flurry of activity coming out of the Oval Office lately, today feels like a continuation of a very specific, aggressive pattern. President Trump signed executive orders today that target two things he’s obsessed with: strengthening the military-industrial complex and tightening the screws on foreign energy and mineral dependencies.
People usually think executive orders are just big, sweeping policy changes that happen overnight. But these specific ones? They’re more like surgical strikes on how the government spends your money and who it buys from.
What Really Happened With the Defense Shakeup
One of the biggest moves involves something called "Prioritizing the Warfighter in Defense Contracting." It sounds like a typical military slogan, but the guts of the order are actually pretty radical. Essentially, the administration is tired of defense contractors—the big guys like Lockheed or Raytheon—spending billions on stock buybacks and dividends while delivery dates for missiles and jets keep slipping.
The order is blunt. It basically tells the Secretary of Defense (or the Secretary of War, as the administration has been styling it) to hunt down "underperforming" contractors. If a company is caught prioritizing its shareholders over getting equipment to the front lines on time, they are now prohibited—"in any way, shape, or form"—from paying out dividends or buying back their own stock.
It’s a massive "do your job or no payday" move.
- The Penalty: No buybacks or dividends until performance targets are met.
- The Target: "Traditional" major defense contractors.
- The Deadline: The Secretary has 30 days to start naming names.
Trump Signs Executive Orders Today on Critical Minerals
Beyond the military stuff, there’s a heavy focus on the supply chain. You might have seen the news about the Section 232 action. That’s a bit of trade-law jargon, but it’s basically a national security tool. Today, the President used it to order immediate negotiations on "processed critical minerals."
We aren't just talking about digging stuff out of the ground here. We’re talking about the processing—the refining that turns raw rocks into the stuff inside your phone battery or a fighter jet’s electronics. Right now, China owns about 40% to 90% of that processing capacity.
The goal? Establish "price floors" with allies like Australia and Japan. It’s an attempt to stop China from undercutting American and allied prices to keep them out of the market. If these negotiations don't work, the administration is already hinting at more tariffs.
The Venezuela Oil Factor
Another order that dropped recently—and is still causing ripples today—is the one involving Venezuelan oil revenue. It’s a messy situation. Basically, the U.S. is holding a lot of Venezuelan money in "Foreign Government Deposit Funds."
This order (EO 14373) essentially locks that money away. It prevents anyone from using U.S. courts to grab that cash. It’s a "hands off" sign meant to protect what the administration calls the "American and Venezuelan people," but really, it’s about making sure that money stays as a bargaining chip for the ongoing crisis in Caracas.
Why This Matters for Your Wallet
You might think, "I don't build missiles or refine lithium, why do I care?"
Well, it’s about inflation and jobs. The administration is betting that by forcing defense companies to invest in "plants and equipment" instead of stock buybacks, they’ll create more domestic manufacturing jobs. It’s a gamble. Critics argue this kind of heavy-handed interference in the private sector could backfire, leading to lawsuits or even slower production if companies feel the government is overreaching.
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But the President’s team is doubling down. They see this as "American Greatness" in action.
Practical Next Steps for Following These Actions
If you’re a business owner, an investor, or just someone who likes to know where the country is headed, here’s how you can actually track the fallout from these orders:
- Watch the SEC Filings: Over the next 60 days, look at major defense contractors. If they suddenly stop their stock buyback programs, you’ll know the Secretary of Defense put them on the "underperforming" list.
- Monitor the Federal Register: There is usually a 2-5 day lag between the President signing something and the full legal text appearing on FederalRegister.gov. If you want the "fine print" that the news bites miss, check there on Wednesday or Thursday.
- Check Commodity Prices: Specifically lithium, cobalt, and copper. If those "price floor" negotiations with allies move forward, expect some volatility in the tech and EV sectors.
These aren't just pieces of paper. They are the roadmap for how the 2026 economy is being rebuilt, for better or worse. Keep an eye on the "Remediation Plans" that contractors will have to submit; that’s where the real changes in American manufacturing will start to show up.