Trump clashes with Pentagon over depleted missile stocks after Iran war

Donald Trump pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a recent Camp David meeting over whether U.S. missile stocks had been depleted by the Iran war, putting the readiness of the arsenal under a public spotlight. The dispute centered on the Army Tactical Missile System and the Precision Strike Missile, two long-range weapons tied to the Pentagon’s ability to deter Iran and cover other theaters at the same time.

Reuters said the United States had used “virtually all” of its long-range precision missiles in the conflict. CBS News said the U.S. had used nearly all of its global stockpile, while Military Times said three people familiar with the data described a heavy drawdown in the Army’s stockpile during America’s five-month war with Iran. The concern was not just inventory levels but the speed at which production can refill them.

NBC News said Trump asked Hegseth about a munitions shortfall at Camp David and that Hegseth pointed to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg. The White House dismissed the account as “100% fake news.”

Trump later denied the United States was running low, saying it had “far more munitions than anyone in the world” and “far more than we need.” Bloomberg said he also warned “leakers” of jail time, underscoring the administration’s effort to shut down the story as questions mounted over transparency and deterrence after the Iran campaign.

The stockpile debate now reaches beyond one war. Other reporting tied the strain to Tomahawk missiles and Patriot interceptors, while a CSIS analysis in April examined the status of key munitions after the ceasefire. If the United States has to fight in the Middle East again while keeping forces ready elsewhere, the test will be whether the industrial base can replace advanced missiles as quickly as commanders spend them.