Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth forcefully rejected a CNN report Tuesday claiming the U.S. military’s missile stockpiles have been significantly depleted by the conflict with Iran, accusing the network of spreading false information and publicly rebuking its coverage.

The dispute centered on a CNN on-screen headline aired during anchor Kasie Hunt’s program that read: “Sources: U.S. has used nearly 80% of key missile interceptors in Iran war, top commanders warn stockpiles ‘dangerously low.'”

Responding on X, Hegseth flatly denied the report.

“That banner is NOT TRUE,” wrote Hegseth. “Shame on you. We don’t hate the Fake News media enough.”

CNN’s accompanying report, written by Zachary Cohen, Jim Sciutto, and Haley Britzky, cited multiple sources familiar with Pentagon assessments who said the United States has exhausted a substantial portion of its missile inventory during the war with Iran. According to the report, the U.S. has used nearly 80% of its THAAD missile interceptors and roughly half of its Patriot missile stockpile, prompting senior military leaders to warn the Trump administration that inventories have become “dangerously low.”

The report also noted that those concerns were raised before President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he intended “to hold off any attack” because “the perimeters of a deal ha[ve] been agreed to,” while also warning, “The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II.”

Separately on Tuesday, Reuters published its own report citing multiple sources who said the U.S. has expended “virtually all” of its stockpile of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) during the conflict.

The White House disputed those claims, telling Reuters that the United States possesses “far more munitions than anyone in the world” and “far more than we need.”

The administration delivered a similar response to CNN. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the U.S. military “has more than enough munitions, ammo, and stockpiles to serve all of President Trump’s strategic goals and beyond.”

{Matzav.com}