‘It makes sense to me’: Donald Trump could ban defence firms hiring military buyers
The president-elect’s idea was met with deep scepticism within the US defence establishment
US president-elect Donald Trump on Friday said he was considering imposing a lifetime ban on US military procurement officials going to work for defence contractors, a move that could dramatically reshape the defence industry.
Three days after publicly rebuking Boeing over the cost of the next-generation Air Force One presidential aircraft, Trump floated the idea of such a ban at a rally for Republican supporters in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
“I think anybody that gives out these big contracts should never ever during their lifetime be allowed to work for a defence company, for a company that makes that product,” Trump said. “I don’t know, it makes sense to me.”
Anybody that gives out these big contracts should never ever during their lifetime be allowed to work for a defence company
He added that he “got the idea yesterday” as he thought about “massive” cost overruns for military equipment but needed to “check this out” first before making any decisions.
Trump said such a ban would make “a big, big difference because the purchasing in this country is out of control, for everything, not only military”.
The president-elect’s idea was met with deep scepticism within the US defence establishment as procurement and weapons programme management jobs have long been a good alternative career path within the Pentagon for military officers who did not win coveted command jobs.
A US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said such a ban would likely discourage people from taking procurement jobs in the Pentagon and cause more attrition.
