Trump vows to find ‘leakers’ after reports of depleted Iran war munitions

Lead

US President Donald Trump has vowed to hunt down "leakers" after several news reports detailed what they described as a dangerous depletion of US munitions stockpiles amid the war with Iran. The White House and Pentagon have pushed back on the reports, insisting that American missile stockpiles remain robust.

Coverage comparison

Reports from Al Jazeera and the BBC have outlined concerns over US munitions levels, citing unnamed sources and think tank estimates. The BBC noted that the administration has sought to assure Americans that US missile stockpiles remain robust, even after the military used vast quantities of difficult-to-manufacture weapons during the operation known as Operation Epic Fury and the tit-for-tat strikes since. The BBC also reported that CBS News, its US partner, had said the US has used much of its global stockpile of long-range precision missiles during the war, citing two unnamed sources with direct knowledge of the subject. The Washington Post reported that Trump had confronted Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over a possible weapons shortfall, also citing unnamed sources; the BBC said it has not confirmed that report.

Al Jazeera reported that the Trump administration has repeatedly pushed back on reports of shortages of both offensive and defensive weapons, and that while several reports had previously documented munitions depletions since the war began on February 28, the latest reports painted a more dire picture. Al Jazeera cited Reuters and CBS News reporting that the military had burned through nearly all of its offensive Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSMs), which experts said could require relying on more perilous close-range and aerial attacks in the event of a renewed escalation. A CNN report showing low levels of Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors has caused greater concern, with experts noting there is no viable short-term alternative to the air defence missiles.

Key claims

Reports, citing unnamed sources and think tank estimates, have claimed that the US military has depleted large portions of its missile stockpiles. Al Jazeera reported that the US military has used 80% of its THAAD interceptors and about half of its Patriot interceptors. The BBC, citing the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a national security think tank, estimated that by the end of July, the US had between 759 and 827 Patriot missiles left, down from 2,330 before the conflict began. CSIS also estimates the US has now used around 60% of THAAD missiles, according to Mark Cancian, a retired Marine Corps colonel and senior adviser at CSIS.

Experts have warned that low supplies of air defence interceptors, particularly those used in Patriot and THAAD systems, may pose a particular threat to US forces, with knock-on effects for allies in the region and beyond. Replenishments of pre-war stockpiles are expected to take years, Al Jazeera reported.

The US is also facing demand for its weapons beyond the conflict with Iran, the BBC reported. It has given Ukraine significant supplies of Patriot missiles since Russia invaded in 2022, but as US stocks shrink, Cancian expects the Pentagon to hold onto them. At a cabinet meeting on Friday, Trump told reporters that granting Ukraine's recent request for additional Patriot missiles would be a "big step", but the two countries were "still talking about" it.

Trump has denied that the US faces any strategic disadvantage. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: "The US has massive amounts of 'munitions,' especially of certain types," adding that "large amounts are being manufactured and shipped to the U.S. as needed" and that defence contractors are "building the largest number of plants and factories in our country's history." He also wrote: "The 'leakers' of these treasonous statements are being hunted down. Long term jail sentences will be sought!"

In a statement provided to Al Jazeera by the White House, Trump said: "We have far more munitions than anyone in the world, and far more than we need, despite the fact that an unprecedented amount was given away by Crooked Joe Biden and the Biden Administration to Ukraine and Europe at no cost." He referenced the Patriot interceptor transfers to Ukraine under former President Joe Biden following Russia's invasion. Trump also said that as the US builds up, "we will start issuing more to our allies in Europe and elsewhere."

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell maintained that the US was not in dire straits, saying in a statement to Al Jazeera: "America's military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President's choosing."

The Trump administration has requested $95bn in its Fiscal Year 2027 defence budget and $21bn in a supplemental funding request to replenish its stores, according to Al Jazeera. Experts have questioned whether supplies of air defence missiles could be scaled up in a timely fashion, even with an influx of funding, Al Jazeera reported.

Precise information on US missile stocks remains classified, the BBC noted. Since becoming secretary, Hegseth has sought to put in place strict controls limiting information reporters can gather from the Pentagon, the BBC added.

Perspectives

• Trump administration: Officials, including President Trump and Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, deny any munitions shortages, asserting that US stockpiles are robust and that production is ramping up. They attribute any reductions to transfers under the previous administration and frame leaks as treasonous.

• Experts and unnamed sources: Analysts and unnamed officials cited in reports warn that depleted air defence interceptors pose a strategic risk, with no short-term alternatives and replenishment expected to take years. They point to specific percentage depletions and potential delays in allied deliveries.