
Trump Fires Back at Missile Shortage Reports, Vows Action Against ‘Leakers’
President Donald Trump is forcefully rejecting reports that the U.S. military is running low on key munitions following the war with Iran, insisting the nation has abundant supplies, production is accelerating, and those responsible for leaking claims of shortages will face serious consequences.
In a Truth Social post early Thursday, Trump dismissed the reports outright.
“The U.S. has massive amounts of ‘munitions,’ especially of certain types,” Trump wrote. “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. The ‘leakers’ of these treasonous statements are being hunted down. Long term jail sentences will be sought!”
Trump’s comments followed several reports published this week alleging that the United States has depleted much of its inventory of long-range precision weapons during months of combat operations against Iran.
Reuters reported that the Army has used a significant portion of its stockpile of long-range precision missiles—including Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and the newer Precision Strike Missile (PrSM)—during the five-month conflict, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.
According to Reuters, the reduction in available missiles has sparked concern within the Trump administration over America’s preparedness for future military confrontations and its ability to deter adversaries such as Russia and China.
The report noted that these precision weapons have been heavily relied upon because they enable U.S. forces to strike targets from long distances, minimizing the need for more dangerous manned bombing missions.
Reuters also said military officials have warned that inventories of defensive systems, including Patriot and THAAD interceptor missiles, have been significantly reduced during the conflict, although the Pentagon has attempted to replenish regional defenses by shifting weapons from other stockpiles.
CBS News similarly reported Tuesday, citing two sources with direct knowledge of the matter, that the United States has expended nearly its entire global inventory of long-range precision missiles during the Iran conflict.
The CBS report added that dwindling supplies of both defensive interceptors and precision strike missiles have become a growing concern within the administration, with officials questioning whether the military can sustain the pace at which those weapons were used during the early stages of the war.
According to U.S. officials who spoke with CBS, the greatest concern centers on Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors, which are being consumed faster than defense manufacturers can replace them.
A July analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated that before the war, the United States possessed roughly 2,330 Patriot interceptors. By the end of July, that number had fallen to between 759 and 827. The report also estimated that THAAD interceptor inventories had dropped from 452 before the conflict to between 234 and 278 as of July 27.
A separate CSIS study concluded that it may take until at least the middle of 2029 for Patriot and THAAD stockpiles to recover to their pre-war levels.
War Department Secretary Pete Hegseth has repeatedly dismissed reports that the military is facing any critical shortage of munitions.
“That is a manufactured story that the media wants to peddle, and ultimately our stockpiles are great, and they’re only getting stronger,” Hegseth said during a June 14 appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell also rejected the reports.
“America’s military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President’s choosing,” he said in a statement to CBS News. “We have executed multiple successful operations across combatant commands while ensuring the U.S. military possesses a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and our interests.”
Late Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also denied a Washington Post report claiming Trump and Hegseth had engaged in a heated dispute during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David over alleged shortages of military munitions.