US President Donald Trump claimed that the US has "massive" ammunition stockpiles and expanding weapons production.
Trump warned that officials leaking information about military inventories would face long prison sentences.
His remarks came after media reports of concerns over declining US missile stockpiles following the Iran conflict.
US President Donald Trump has claimed the United States has "massive" munitions stockpiles and is continuing to manufacture more, dismissing media reports that the country's weapons reserves have been depleted following the conflict with Iran.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that those responsible for leaking such information would face jail. The reports have fuelled concerns about the United States' military readiness for future conflicts.
What Did Trump Say?
Trump said that the US has massive amounts of munitions, “especially of certain types.”
“Additionally, large amounts are being manufactured and shipped to the US as needed. Defence 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!” he added.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also junked a journalist’s report which talked about Trump’s frustration with Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth over extreme munitions shortage. “This literally never happened,” she said.
Why Did Trump Make The Statement?
Earlier, Hegseth pointed out at CNN’s report which said that the US has used nearly 80 per cent of key missile interceptors in Iran War, and the top commanders are warning that stockpiles are ‘dangerously low’. He said that the report was “not true”.
Reuters in its report said that the US Army has used up most of its highly accurate long-range missiles. The report said that the missiles are principally the Army's surface-to-surface weapons, known as Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM). As per Reuters, the long range munitions cost $1mn each, and allow precise strikes from a safe distance.
CNN reported that the US military had used a significant portion of its interceptors for key missile defence systems since the start of the war, with senior commanders warning that some Pentagon stockpiles had fallen to concerning levels. According to the report, the US military has depleted nearly 80 per cent of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile inventory compared with pre-war levels and has used around half of its Patriot interceptors during the conflict, citing two sources familiar with the latest inventory assessments.
The officials said that the low levels of the stockpile influenced Trump's decisions on whether to conduct additional large-scale strikes against Iran. But, Trump, while talking to Fox News, said, "In life, they know when you're ready to go and when you're just bluffing. We were ready to go — and we are ready to go if we have to do that."
