Trump denies US weapons shortage and says information 'leakers' being 'hunted down'
While precise data is classified, publicly available information suggests the US has used up many difficult-to-manufacture weapons.
President Donald Trump has refuted claims of a US munitions deficit, declaring in a social media post that his administration would pursue "long term jail sentences" for individuals suspected of leaking information.
"The U.S. has massive amounts of 'munitions,' especially of certain types," Trump stated on Thursday morning. "Additionally, large amounts are being manufactured and shipped to the US as needed."
As the war with Iran enters its sixth month, Trump and the Pentagon are facing increasing scrutiny regarding the state of the military's arsenal. The US and Iran have continued to exchange strikes despite multiple ceasefires, and a comprehensive agreement to end hostilities remains elusive.
The administration has sought to reassure Americans that US missile stockpiles remain robust, even after the military expended significant quantities of difficult-to-manufacture weapons during Operation Epic Fury and subsequent retaliatory strikes.
CBS News, the BBC's US partner, reported that the US has utilized a substantial portion of its global inventory of long-range precision missiles during the conflict, citing two anonymous sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
Concurrently, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday evening that Trump had confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week over a potential weapons shortfall, also citing unnamed sources. The BBC has not corroborated this report.
"The 'leakers' of these treasonous statements are being hunted down," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Long term jail sentences will be sought!"
Precise information on US missile stocks remains classified. Since assuming his role, Hegseth has also implemented stringent controls limiting the information reporters can obtain from the Pentagon.
Using publicly available data, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a national security think tank, estimated that by the end of July, the US possessed between 759 and 827 Patriot missiles, a decrease from 2,330 before the conflict began.
Mark Cancian, a retired Marine Corps colonel and senior adviser at CSIS, stated on Wednesday that the US is also estimated to have used approximately 60% of its terminal high altitude area defense (THAAD) missiles, which are deployed to intercept strikes.
Beyond the conflict with Iran, the US is also facing demand for its weaponry. It has provided Ukraine with significant supplies of Patriot missiles since Russia's invasion in 2022, but as US stocks diminish, Cancian anticipates the Pentagon will retain them. At a cabinet meeting on Friday, Trump informed reporters that granting Ukraine's recent request for additional Patriot missiles would be a "big step," but the two countries were "still talking about" it.
Many modern weapons have extended funding, order, production, and delivery timelines, making it challenging to swiftly replace munitions once they are expended.
The administration has consistently maintained that the US possesses sufficient quantities in its stockpile. Trump told the Wall Street Journal last month: "We have far more munitions than anyone in the world, and far more than we need."
Hegseth, meanwhile, dismissed reports of a stockpile shortage as a "manufactured story" during a June 14 appearance on CBS' Face the Nation.
However, the administration has also indicated it is increasing production, with Hegseth stating that the US was working rapidly to manufacture more weapons. Last month, he requested emergency funds totaling $87 billion (£68 billion) from the US Senate to compensate service members and "rapidly replenish equipment and munitions."