U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over concerns about a potential munitions shortage that could limit military options in the ongoing conflict with Iran. The encounter took place on Friday at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The confrontation occurred during the sidelines of a cabinet meeting, where Mr. Trump expressed frustration after learning that “virtually all” of the United States’ missile stockpiles had been depleted as the Iran war entered its sixth month. Sources told the Washington Post that Mr. Trump demanded to know why he had not been informed earlier about the shortfall and questioned how the Pentagon planned to resolve the issue. At the time, he reportedly believed the missile shortage had been resolved.
The alleged shortages involve long-range guided missiles, including army tactical missile systems (ATACMS) and precision strike missiles (PrSM), as well as air-defense interceptors. These constraints are said to have led to a reduction in new U.S. strikes in recent days. Mr. Trump has publicly asserted that he ordered, then canceled, what he described as “the biggest attack since World War Two.”
Following the president’s call, Mr. Hegseth’s deputy, Stephen Feinberg, convened a meeting of senior military and defense officials on Friday evening to address the situation. Sources indicate that Mr. Hegseth attributed the missile shortfall and communication gaps to Mr. Feinberg’s oversight. The president reportedly even suggested that Mr. Feinberg should be removed from his position.
The munitions scarcity is reported to extend beyond the Iran conflict, affecting U.S. support for Ukraine, where air-defense capabilities are also reportedly strained.
In response to these reports, the White House dismissed the claims as “fake news.” Presidential Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on the social media platform X that she was present during the Camp David meeting and said the confrontation between Mr. Trump and Mr. Hegseth “literally never happened.” Mr. Trump similarly denied the allegations on his platform Truth Social, asserting that the United States has “massive” missile reserves and that defense companies are ramping up production. He also warned that individuals leaking sensitive information would face legal consequences.
During a Senate testimony in July, Mr. Hegseth declined to disclose advisory discussions with the president, instead blaming the munitions shortage on the previous administration. He requested congressional approval for $67 billion in additional defense funding, asserting that the current conflict had already cost approximately $37.5 billion. Independent analysis estimates total expenditures could be as high as $151.3 billion.