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

U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to pursue individuals responsible for leaking classified information after recent media reports highlighted a severe depletion of American military munitions used in the ongoing conflict with Iran. Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to assert that the United States still possesses vast quantities of weaponry and that new supplies were being produced and delivered as required. He emphasized that those disseminating what he termed "treasonous statements" would face legal consequences, including lengthy prison terms. The reports emerged amid growing concerns about the availability of critical defense systems, particularly the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM). According to Reuters and CBS News, the U.S. military has nearly exhausted its stockpile of these offensive missile systems, potentially forcing reliance on riskier close-range and aerial attack methods should tensions escalate further. Additionally, CNN revealed that the U.S. had significantly reduced its inventory of Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors, essential components of the nation's air defense capabilities. Experts warn that replenishing these systems to pre-war levels could take several years due to limited global production capacity. Trump dismissed the notion that the U.S. faces a strategic disadvantage in terms of armaments, insisting that the country maintains substantial reserves of specific weapon types. He claimed that large quantities of munitions are being manufactured domestically and transported to the U.S. as necessary, while emphasizing that defense contractors are constructing an unprecedented number of facilities nationwide. This assertion comes despite reports indicating that the U.S. relies heavily on international partners such as Japan and Germany for the production of Patriot interceptors, with no other nations producing THAAD interceptors. The situation has intensified scrutiny on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been under pressure from some Republican lawmakers regarding his management of the Pentagon during the war. A Washington Post report suggested that Trump confronted Hegseth during a cabinet meeting at Camp David, accusing him of providing inaccurate information about the status of munitions shortages. According to the report, Hegseth attributed the shortages to Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg and criticized his failure to communicate effectively with the president. However, Trump refuted the allegations, calling them "fake" and "treasonous," while expressing satisfaction with Hegseth's leadership. The depletion of key defense systems has raised alarms among analysts, who argue that even with increased financial investment, restoring the levels of Patriot and THAAD interceptors to their pre-war states will likely take at least three years. CNN's report indicated that the U.S. military had already consumed approximately 80% of its THAAD interceptors and around half of its Patriot interceptors before the war. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimated on July 27 that the military retained just over a third of its Patriot interceptors and roughly half of its THAAD interceptors. Retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Mark Canci, one of the researchers behind the CSIS analysis, underscored the gravity of the situation, highlighting the lack of immediate alternatives to the depleted air defense systems. His comments reflect broader concerns within the defense community about the potential vulnerabilities exposed by the current state of U.S. military readiness. As the conflict continues, the administration faces mounting challenges in maintaining both operational effectiveness and public confidence in its national security strategies.