President Trump Defends Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Denies Significant Munitions Shortages During Iran War
The administration announced that President Trump remains confident in the U.S. munitions stockpile despite reports of a dangerous depletion of weapons during the ongoing war with Iran. While news outlets have reported that the military has burned through nearly 80 percent of its THAAD interceptors and half of its Patriot interceptors, President Trump dismissed these claims as "treasonous" and vowed to hunt down the "leakers" responsible for the information. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has faced criticism for allegedly misleading the president on the status of the weapons stores. However, President Trump defended Hegseth, stating he is "extremely happy" with the secretary's stewardship of the Pentagon. The administration has tasked the Justice Department to seek long-term jail sentences for those disclosing the munitions shortages. To address the production gap, the administration has invoked the Defense Production Act to force defense contractors to ramp up manufacturing. Experts note that while the U.S. is the largest arms producer, it may take years to fully restore pre-war levels of critical air defense systems.