The $1.5 trillion budget is the carrot. The executive order is the stick

In the past week, the Trump administration has made waves in the normally staid defense contracting universe. The President announced he is pursuing a $1.5 trillion defense budget for 2027 and unveiled a new executive order titled “Prioritizing the Warfighter in Defense Contracting.” The carrot of increased defense spending is welcome, and so is the stick of defense contracting accountability.

The executive order states plainly that “while the United States produces the best military equipment in the world...