Donald Trump reportedly erupted at Pete Hegseth over a critical military problem he thought was already solved. The president confronted his defense secretary at Camp David over depleted missile stockpiles during the ongoing Iran war.
Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth reportedly clashed over depleted U.S. missile stockpiles during the Iran war
President Donald Trump clashed with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Camp David over extreme munitions shortages during the Iran war, The Washington Post reported.
Trump demanded answers on why advisers had apparently misled him about depleted stockpiles that now threaten military options. Shortages in long-range guided missiles and air-defense interceptors partly drove his recent decision to pull back from launching additional massive strikes.
The U.S. fired over 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles and more than 1,000 Patriot and THAAD interceptors during the first month of fighting alone. The military also expended more than 1,300 Army tactical ballistic missiles in the initial weeks. The ATACMs stockpile has now essentially drained, leaving virtually none available for operations or Ukraine’s defense needs.
Hegseth defended himself during the confrontation and blamed his deputy, Stephen Feinberg, for the shortages. He also faulted Feinberg for not ensuring Trump received full information about the issue. Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell pushed back firmly against these claims.
Parnell stated that Hegseth “did not mislead anyone about our munitions posture, and he did not blame Deputy Secretary Feinberg.” He called reports about depleted stockpiles and internal disagreements “equally fictional.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt similarly dismissed the report as “100% fake news.”
The conflict has consumed massive resources since launching in late February. The U.S. struck more than 13,000 targets in Iran through the April ceasefire. It also defended against over 8,500 incoming Iranian munitions or drones during that period.
Defense experts warn that replenishing these stockpiles could take years despite new production agreements. Brad Bowman of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies noted that defense firms will not begin production until contracts and congressional appropriations materialize. Hegseth has asked lawmakers for $67 billion in additional military funding to cover war costs. Senate Republicans have not yet agreed on a strategy to approve the package.
