Trump claims US has ‘virtually unlimited’ ammunition for Iran war, slams ‘treacherous’ critics | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump has rejected claims that the United States is running out of ammunition during its military operation in Iran, calling reports of dwindling stockpiles “100% wrong” and accusing those spreading them of “treason”.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said critics and the media are suggesting the US doesn’t have enough ammunition because they want the country to lose the war.
“For the treasonous SCUM that refuses to report accurately on our military operation in Iran, we have virtually unlimited medium to high quality munitions,” Trump wrote.
Trump claims that the US has a large stockpile of ammunition
Trump has argued that the US has far more ammunition than it could use in the current conflict or any other potential war.
He also said the United States was producing munitions in “quantities never seen before” and stockpiling to prepare for possible future contingencies.
According to Trump, the US has temporarily prioritized keeping its ammunition for domestic military use over selling it abroad. He said arms sales to US allies would resume “soon”.
Trump compares war in Iran with helping Ukraine
Trump also turned his criticism on the previous Biden administration, claiming that it provided Ukraine with significantly more ammunition than the US used in Iran.
He claimed the Biden administration provided “hundreds of billions of dollars” in aid to Ukraine and NATO without requiring European allies to pay for it.
Trump said the U.S. would seek repayment for that support, though he did not provide details on how or when such payments would be made.
Trump attacks media over ammunition reports
The president’s comments came as he sought to push back against reports and criticism questioning US military stockpiles during the Iran operation.
Trump has accused the media and others of undermining the U.S. war effort by highlighting munitions concerns.
He argued that the U.S. military was adequately stocked and that U.S. arms production continued at historically high levels.
US used ‘virtually all’ long-range missiles in war with Iran – report
The U.S. military has used up much of its global stockpile of long-range, high-precision missiles during its five-month war with Iran, raising concerns about the Pentagon’s preparedness for future conflicts, Reuters reported on Aug. 4.
According to three people familiar with the data cited by the news portal, the US military has used “virtually all” of two key surface-to-surface missile systems – the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and the newer Precision Strike Missile (PrSM).
The sources did not disclose how many missiles remain in the US stockpile.
US missile stockpile under pressure
The long-range missiles, which cost more than $1 million each, allow U.S. forces to accurately hit targets from a relatively safe distance.
ATACMS also played an important role in the war in Ukraine, where US-supplied missiles were used by Ukrainian forces to strike targets in Russia.
The newer PrSM is designed to replace the ATACMS and offers greater range and capabilities. Reuters reported that supplies of the PrSM were already relatively limited because it is a newer weapon, although the military has placed large orders for the missile for 2027.
The Army said the ATACMS is being phased out as production shifts to the PrSM.
Concerns about US military preparedness
The depletion of precision missiles has raised concerns among US officials about the country’s ability to respond to future threats from major adversaries such as Russia and China, Reuters reported.
Military leaders have also warned President Donald Trump in recent weeks that stockpiles of defense weapons, including Patriot anti-missile missiles, are declining.
Patriot systems are particularly important for defense against ballistic missile attacks.
Several media reports last week suggested Trump had decided against another major offensive inside Iran, in part because military advisers warned of declining U.S. weapons stockpiles.
But a U.S. official disputed that explanation, saying Trump decided not to pursue another attack because of pressure from the Gulf states.
The Pentagon can restock
Despite fears of depleted precision weapons, one person familiar with the situation told Reuters that the US military was still able to replenish its stockpiles.
U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East, was able to draw on U.S. military stockpiles located around the world, the person said.
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