1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

I urge you to take immediate action to oppose President Trump's executive order "Prioritizing the Warfighter in Defense Contracting," issued on January 7, 2026. This order poses serious threats to both national security and fundamental free market principles that underpin our economy. The order grants sweeping authority to the Secretary of War to designate defense contractors as "underperforming" based on subjective criteria including investment levels, contract prioritization, and production speed. Once designated, contractors face prohibitions on stock buybacks and dividend issuances, along with mandatory caps on executive compensation. This represents an unprecedented federal intrusion into private sector business operations and corporate governance decisions that should remain with boards of directors and shareholders. My concern extends beyond economic policy to national security itself. The individual appointed to make these critical determinations lacks the qualifications necessary for such consequential decisions affecting our defense industrial base. Entrusting someone without relevant experience or expertise to evaluate complex defense contractor performance creates substantial risk during a period when our military readiness depends on a robust and stable supplier network. The order's approach is fundamentally flawed. Rather than strengthening the defense industrial base, imposing arbitrary restrictions on capital allocation and compensation will likely discourage private investment in defense manufacturing at precisely the moment we need to expand capacity. Companies facing potential government interference in their financial operations may reduce their defense portfolio or exit the sector entirely, weakening competition and innovation. The administration plans to codify these restrictions through new Federal Acquisition Regulation and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement clauses, making this interference permanent without congressional oversight or approval. This circumvents the legislative process and your constitutional authority over defense appropriations and contracting policy. I ask that you publicly oppose this executive order, introduce or support legislation to block its implementation, and reassert congressional authority over defense contracting policy. Our national security requires qualified leadership and market-based solutions, not politically motivated interference in private enterprise.