US defence firms to quadruple advanced weapons output as Iran war intensifies, announces Trump

The US president also claimed the country has “a virtually unlimited supply” of lower-grade weapons, which he said are currently being used in the Iran war.

• US defense firms to quadruple production of advanced weaponry
• Trump hints Cuba may be next focus after Iran conflict ends
• US officials met Cuban church leaders to discuss humanitarian aid

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Major US defence companies have agreed to quadruple production of advanced weapons, President Donald Trump said on Friday, as the war with Iran entered its seventh day.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said “the largest U.S. Defense Manufacturing Companies” had “agreed to quadruple Production of the ‘Exquisite Class’ Weaponry,” referring to sophisticated, high-precision military systems.

The US president also claimed the country has “a virtually unlimited supply” of lower-grade weapons, which he said are currently being used in the Iran war.

Trump also indicated that Cuba could become the next focus of his administration once the Iran conflict ends, predicting that the communist-run island, already strained by a US energy blockade, is “gonna fall pretty soon.”

“They want to make a deal so badly,” Trump told CNN in a phone interview, a day after suggesting he could turn to an unspecified project related to Cuba after the Iran war.

“We’re really focused on this one right now. We’ve got plenty of time, but Cuba’s ready, after 50 years,” he said, adding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would lead the effort.

“He’s doing some job, and your next one is going to be, we want to do that special Cuba,” Trump said.

Both Trump and Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, have previously spoken about bringing about regime change in Havana following the removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, a long-time adversary of Washington in the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, the US State Department’s coordinator for Cuban affairs, Rob Allison, recently met senior representatives of the Catholic Church in Havana, the US Embassy said in a post on X.

The embassy shared a photo of Allison and US chargé d’affaires in Cuba Mike Hammer meeting Cardinal Juan de la Claridad and Bishop Arturo Gonzalez, president of the national bishops’ conference.

According to the embassy, the discussions focused on humanitarian aid sent by Washington to the island and “the need for change to improve the situation in Cuba.”