President Donald Trump denies reports that the United States is facing a shortage of weapons and ammunition due to the war with Iran. He affirms that the military has a massive weapons stockpile and threatens legal action against those who disclose information about the arsenal. Meanwhile, several media outlets report significant reductions in U.S. long-range missiles and air defense systems.
U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected news reports claiming that the U.S. military is experiencing a shortage of weapons and ammunition amid the conflict with Iran. He confirmed that the United States possesses a massive arsenal of military equipment, especially certain types of weapons.
Trump posted on the Truth Social platform that, besides having a large weapons stockpile, U.S. defense contractors are accelerating production and delivery of additional arms as needed. He noted that currently, the number of defense factories and production lines is the highest in the country's history. Trump accused those who leaked information about the weapons stockpile issues of being "rumor mongers" and threatened legal action, calling for long-term imprisonment.
Major media outlets such as The Washington Post, CNN, CBS, and Reuters have reported that the U.S. has used a large amount of long-range guided missiles—including ATACMS missiles, precision strike missiles, as well as Patriot and THAAD missiles—almost depleting global reserves. It is estimated that replenishing these stockpiles to pre-war levels could take until mid-2029.
However, The Washington Post reported that Trump questioned U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth about the weapons stockpile issue last Friday during a cabinet meeting at Camp David. Citing two sources familiar with the event, the report stated that Trump asked why the stockpile problem still existed despite his understanding that it had been resolved.
CNN reported that shortages of long-range guided missiles and air defense interceptors are impacting U.S. strategy in the war with Iran. The U.S. military has used nearly 80 percent of its THAAD air defense interceptors from its existing stockpile.
A report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimated that before the war, the U.S. had about 2,330 Patriot interceptors, but by the end of July, this number may drop to only 759-827. For THAAD interceptors, originally about 452, the estimate is a remaining 234-278.
CSIS projects that it could take until at least mid-2029 for the stockpiles of both interceptor missile systems to return to pre-war levels.
The White House denied reports of conflict between Trump and Hegseth. White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt stated that the incident "never happened," while Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said reports of disputes between Trump and Hegseth and the weapons stockpile issues were fabricated.
Parnell affirmed that the U.S. military still has sufficient capability to carry out the president's orders and maintains a strong military capacity to protect the American people and the nation's interests.
Previously, Hegseth had dismissed concerns about the U.S. weapons stockpile, stating that stories about depletion were media fabrications. He confirmed that the U.S. arsenal remains at a good level and is increasing.
The dispute over weapon quantities arises amid a protracted war with Iran, with reports indicating the U.S. has expended large numbers of precision-guided munitions in strikes against Iran, raising questions about the defense industry's ability to replenish weapons at the pace of usage.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied engaging in talks with the U.S. government, despite Trump's earlier statements that Iran sought to reach an agreement with the United States.