"We Have Massive Quantities"... Trump Responds to Reports of Depleted Precision Missiles After Iran War, Pentagon Remains Silent

US President Donald Trump has denied media reports of a severe shortage in the US ammunition stockpile due to military operations related to the war with Iran. He asserted — in a post on his platform 'Truth Social' — that the United States "possesses massive quantities of ammunition," and that "large quantities are being manufactured and shipped as needed," with defense companies "building factories at record levels."

The presidential denial was a direct response to a report by CBS News, which cited two informed sources claiming that Washington had consumed nearly its entire global stockpile of long-range precision missiles during the war with Iran. It also reported that air defense supply lines are under severe pressure after depleting a significant portion of pre-war stocks of THAAD systems, SM-3, and Patriot missiles — systems that bore the brunt of countering waves of Iranian missiles and drones targeting US bases in the region.

Conflicting Messages in Washington

Trump was not the first to downplay these reports; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously dismissed concerns about the stockpile, while CNN described the administration's messages on this issue as "confused" due to their contradiction with military sources. Meanwhile, the Department of Defense (Pentagon) has yet to release any official figures to confirm or deny the reports, as military officials continue to assess operational needs in light of field developments.

An Issue Beyond Domestic Debate

The impact of this issue extends beyond the internal American debate on defense spending; American coverage has previously indicated that stockpile concerns are a factor in the current diplomatic push towards de-escalation — from Hormuz talks to the naval coalition that Riyadh has gathered more than 40 countries for — before the crisis reaches the current negotiation turning point.