Donald Trump clashes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over U.S. munitions shortage in Iran war

President Donald Trump reportedly confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a Camp David cabinet meeting, demanding explanations for severe shortages of long‑range missiles, Patriot and THAAD interceptors, and other precision‑guided weapons used in the ongoing war with Iran. Sources cited by The Washington Post said Trump accused Hegseth of being misled about the stockpile, noting that up to 80% of key interceptors had been expended.

The White House and Pentagon denied that any disagreement occurred, labeling the report "fake news." Hegseth later dismissed a CNN segment on the issue as inaccurate, while Trump posted on Truth Social asserting that the United States possesses "massive amounts" of munitions and that production facilities are expanding to meet demand.

Multiple outlets, including Reuters, CNN and The Wall Street Journal, have highlighted concerns that the depletion could limit U.S. military options in the Iran conflict, prompting internal investigations and heightened political scrutiny ahead of upcoming elections.