US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Denies CNN Claim of Depleted Missile Stockpiles

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X that a recent CNN report alleging the Pentagon’s missile‑defence stockpiles had fallen to “dangerously low” levels was false, writing “That banner is NOT TRUE, @CNN. Shame on you.” The report had claimed the United States had used nearly 80 % of its THAAD interceptors and about half of its Patriot missiles during the conflict with Iran, prompting warnings from senior military commanders that stockpiles were critically depleted.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell and White House spokesperson Anna Kelly both rejected the allegation, stating the U.S. military “has everything it needs” and “more than enough munitions, ammo, and stockpiles” to meet President Donald Trump’s strategic goals. The dispute centers on estimates from the Center for Strategic and International Studies that the U.S. entered the conflict with roughly 452 THAAD missiles and 2,200 Patriot interceptors, figures the administration says remain sufficient.