President Donald Trump has tasked the Justice Department with hunting down what he calls "treasonous" leakers within his administration after classified information about America's dwindling munitions stockpile became public during sensitive negotiations with Iran. The disclosure comes as the military has burned through nearly four-fifths of its THAAD missile inventory and roughly half of its Patriot interceptors since the conflict began, according to two sources familiar with the latest inventory report.
The issue dominated last week's Cabinet meeting at Camp David, where a frustrated Trump confronted the media coverage head-on. Six sources familiar with the meeting said the president wasn't blindsided by the munitions problems themselves — he'd known about them for months. What angered him was the timing. The leaks emerged precisely when he's trying to project strength while threatening additional military action to pressure Iran into a deal.
The Stockpile Reality
Trump wrote on Truth Social just after midnight Thursday that the U.S. has "massive amounts of 'munitions,' especially of certain types." He added that large amounts are being manufactured and shipped as needed, with defense companies building "the largest number of plants and factories in our country's history." But he appeared to acknowledge at least some accuracy in the reports, promising "long term jail sentences" for those who made the information public.
Later in the Oval Office, Trump admitted certain munitions are in "tighter" supply, though he insisted there's a "virtual unlimited supply" of less-advanced weapons. The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates the United States had around 2,200 Patriots and 452 THAAD missiles before the Iran war started. The current depletion rates worry not only American officials but also Gulf leaders who rely on U.S. air defense systems to protect critical infrastructure.
Regional Security Implications
Iran has conveyed to Gulf nations that renewed American attacks would result in retaliation on energy sites or desalination facilities across the region, according to a regional official familiar with the conversations. Gulf leaders have acknowledged the stockpile shortage could hinder their own ability to intercept incoming Iranian missile and drone attacks, multiple officials said. Several of those countries depend entirely on U.S. air defense systems for protection.
Trump has spoken to the leaders of Qatar and Saudi Arabia over the past week about the war. The stockpile issue was raised again prior to the president's decision last weekend to cancel new strikes on Iran, CNN has previously reported. It marked at least the second time in recent weeks that Trump's senior military advisers have specifically voiced concerns about the dwindling number of key U.S. munitions during discussions about potentially escalating the conflict.
Defense Production Response
Questions about the munitions stockpiles date back to the early days of the conflict. Before the war began, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine and other military leaders warned Trump that a protracted military campaign could impact U.S. weapons stockpiles — particularly those that support Israel and Ukraine, multiple sources familiar with the matter previously told CNN. Since then, Trump has blamed the previous administration for allowing the stockpiles to be depleted, including through weapons shipments to Ukraine.
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on July 27, "We have a lot. I'd like to have more, to be honest, but so much was given to Ukraine by Biden." In July, Trump met with the CEOs of top defense contractors at the White House as his administration presses the firms to ramp up production of critical weapons. The participants included Lockheed Martin, which produces both the THAAD and Patriot interceptors. A similar meeting took place in March, at the onset of the war.
Last month, Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to force defense companies to manufacture more weapons. In a document, he wrote that he finds "that conditions exist which may pose a direct threat to the national defense or its preparedness programs." White House officials insist Trump's ire hasn't been directed specifically at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. In a Truth Social post Thursday, Trump said he was "extremely happy with the job that Pete Hegseth is doing." One official said, "He has never blamed Pete. This is all about the leakers."
White House officials have speculated the leaks come from anti-war officials within the administration who are determined to push Trump to extricate the United States from the conflict, a senior White House official said. In meetings during the early days of the conflict, Trump raised the issue with Hegseth after news outlets reported on the concerns. At that time, Hegseth assured the president that the Pentagon was working to address the issue.
Why This Matters:
The munitions stockpile crisis exposes a fundamental tension between America's global security commitments and its industrial capacity to sustain them. The depletion of nearly 80% of THAAD missiles and half of Patriot interceptors reveals the cost of years of underinvestment in defense manufacturing — a problem Trump correctly attributes in part to the previous administration's Ukraine policy. But it also demonstrates the limits of military power when threats multiply faster than production lines can replenish critical systems. Gulf allies now face the prospect of defending vital energy infrastructure with diminished American support, potentially emboldening Iranian aggression. Trump's invocation of the Defense Production Act and meetings with defense CEOs represent necessary steps, but rebuilding stockpiles takes years, not months. The leaks themselves pose a separate national security problem: adversaries now have confirmation of America's defensive vulnerabilities at the worst possible moment.