President Donald Trump reportedly clashed with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding significant munitions shortages that could constrain U.S. military operations, particularly concerning Iran. Two sources told The Washington Post that Trump voiced his frustration during a Friday cabinet meeting at Camp David, stating he believed the issue had been resolved.
The shortages of long-range guided missiles and air defense interceptors are cited as a factor in the President's decision to hold back from launching further large-scale strikes against Iran in recent days. When confronted with the dwindling weapons stockpiles, sources indicated Hegseth blamed his deputy, Stephen Feinberg, for the shortages and for not adequately informing the President.
However, the White House has denied these claims. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, "This is 100% fake news. Literally never happened. And President Trump has the utmost confidence in Secretary Hegseth." Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell echoed this sentiment, asserting, "Secretary Hegseth did not mislead anyone about our munitions posture, and he did not blame Deputy Secretary Feinberg. These claims about depleted stockpiles, internal disagreements, the Secretary’s position on Iran … are equally fictional." Parnell added that Hegseth "isn’t going anywhere, and he’s going to continue to work side by side with Deputy Secretary Feinberg to execute President Trump’s agenda."
At a Senate hearing in July, Hegseth had a disagreement with Democratic lawmakers concerning his assessment of the Iran conflict and the potential strain on U.S. weapons stockpiles from a prolonged campaign. He declined to discuss his advice to the President, instead attributing any shortages to the Biden administration's military management.
Sources familiar with the matter reported that the U.S. Army has expended a significant portion of its stockpile of highly accurate long-range missiles during its five-month conflict with Iran. Three officials, speaking anonymously, indicated that supplies of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) have reached alarmingly low levels, with two officials stating that the U.S. has used "virtually all" of these missiles from its stockpile. Concerns have been raised that these low stockpiles could impede Washington's ability to counter adversaries like Russia and China.
President Trump, however, denied these reports on his Truth Social platform, stating, "The U.S. has massive amounts of 'munitions,' especially of certain types. Additionally, large amounts are being manufactured and shipped to the U.S. as needed. Defense companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country's history." He also vowed to pursue "long term jail sentences" for those leaking what he termed "treasonous statements."
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine had previously warned Trump that dwindling supplies in the region could heighten the risks for U.S. forces. Lawmakers have also expressed unease about General Caine and Secretary Hegseth potentially acting as overly compliant advisors to the President. A fourth source indicated that U.S. Central Command has depleted nearly all of its pre-war land-based missiles, though it has since restocked from global U.S. stockpiles. Both ATACMS and PrSM systems allow for precise, long-range strikes, reducing risk to U.S. pilots. ATACMS have an approximate range of 185 miles, while the PrSM system can reach about 300 miles. These missiles are reported to cost over $1 million each.
President Trump has met with executives from major defense contractors, including Lockheed, as the conflict with Iran continues. "Our defense companies are, at this moment, making more munitions than they have ever made before, in addition to expanding their plants and equipment at record levels," Trump has stated. The ATACMS and PrSM systems are considered critical for striking targets at distances that would otherwise require U.S. pilots to fly close to enemy anti-air systems, such as those in Iran. The use of ATACMS by Ukrainian forces to strike deep within Russian territory has also reportedly strained the supply of these munitions.
Beyond offensive missiles, concerns also exist regarding defensive weapon systems. The supply of Patriot interceptor missiles and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems, used to counter incoming missiles, drones, and aircraft, has also dwindled. A recent report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated that 65% of Patriot interceptors have been used since the conflict began, and THAAD interceptor stockpiles have decreased by at least 38%.