Trump says defense contractors’ ‘massive’ dividends, buybacks won’t be allowed

President Donald Trump stated in a Truth Social post: “All United State Defense Contractors, and the Defense Industry as a whole, BEWARE: While we make the best Military Equipment in the World (No other Country is even close!), Defense Contractors are currently issuing massive Dividends to their Shareholders and massive Stock Buybacks, at the expense and detriment of investing in Plants and Equipment. This situation will no longer be allowed or tolerated! Also, Executive Pay Packages in the Defense Industry are exorbitant and unjustifiable given how slowly these Companies are delivering vital Equipment to our Military, and our Allies. Salaries, Stock Options, and every other form of Compensation are far too high for these Executives… Therefore, I will not permit Dividends or Stock Buybacks for Defense Companies until such time as these problems are rectified – Likewise, for Salaries and Executive Compensation. MILITARY EQUIPMENT IS NOT BEING MADE FAST ENOUGH! It must be built now with the Dividends, Stock Buybacks, and Over Compensation of Executives, rather than borrowing from Financial Institutions, or getting the money from your Government. Longer term, this is good for both Executives and Shareholders, because it will be GREAT for our Country! Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Publicly traded defense contractors include BAE Systems (BAESY), Boeing (BA), GE Aerospace (GE), General Dynamics (GD), HII (HII), L3Harris Technologies (LHX), Lockheed Martin (LMT), Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RTX (RTX).