On Thursday, August 6th, 2026, President Donald Trump publicly denied reports that the United States is running low on key munitions in its ongoing conflict with Iran. Trump asserted that the US has "massive amounts" of ammunition and that additional supplies are being manufactured and shipped to the region. He also threatened long prison sentences for officials leaking information about military weapons stocks.

Trump's comments followed reports that he had demanded answers from his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, regarding alleged shortages at a cabinet meeting held the previous Friday at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland. According to the Washington Post, Trump expressed feeling misled because he believed the problem "had been fixed." Hegseth reportedly defended himself and attempted to shift blame to his deputy, Stephen Feinberg.

The US military has reportedly "nearly exhausted 80%" of its stock of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) interceptors, a key missile defense system. The Washington Post also indicated that concerns over dwindling supplies contributed to Trump calling off further strikes against Iran, despite his repeated threats to hit the Islamic Republic "very hard."

Despite these reports, Trump expressed strong support for Hegseth on social media, stating, "I am extremely happy with the job that Pete Hegseth is doing," and accused media outlets reporting shortages of "spreading false and completely unfounded rumors."

Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host who styles himself as the secretary of war, had recently announced a screening program for "testosterone deficiency" among US troops.

Trump also highlighted on his Truth Social platform that "defense companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country’s history," though he did not provide specific evidence or details about the weapons involved.

Sources