"Looks weak at an important point in time": Donald Trump's anger over ammunition reports - and Iranian mockery
While US President Donald Trump repeatedly threatens military action against Iran, CNN reported that he complained about leaks regarding the depletion of US ammunition stockpiles. The President dismissed these reports as "fake news," asserting that Washington possesses "enormous quantities" of munitions. The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament mocked the American leader's threats.
In closed-door conversations held in recent days, US President Donald Trump complained that leaks about the depletion of Washington's ammunition stockpile make it look weak at an important point in time. This was reported this Thursday by CNN, citing senior US officials, while Donald Trump repeatedly threatened to take additional military action to try and push Tehran to reach an agreement.
After another threatening post from Donald Trump, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, mocked him. "'A massive attack is coming... wait, never mind, they want to negotiate'", he mocked on his X account regarding the American president's threats. "This is theatrical diplomacy in loops. Using bullying, broken promises, and fake news as leverage in a failed strategy. Recognize the facts and keep your commitments. We don't need more theater".
According to six sources familiar with what happened at the cabinet meeting convened last week at Camp David, the issue of ammunition was at its center. They told CNN that the American president, who was frustrated, brought up the media coverage regarding the limited stocks. The sources said that Donald Trump was well aware of potential problems related to ammunition for months and was not surprised by the reports. However, he was angry that the information was revealed precisely at a turning point in the conflict and that it continues to be an increasingly public issue at a time when he wants to project strength.
Donald Trump again denied the reports today about a shortage of munitions, and wrote on the social network Truth Social, which he owns, that the US has "enormous quantities" of ammunition, "especially of certain types". According to him, "large quantities are being produced and sent to the US as needed. Defense companies are building the largest number of factories in the history of our country. The leakers of these treacherous statements are under surveillance. Long prison sentences will be required!".
So far, White House officials claimed, the American president's anger was not directed directly at Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Later in the day, Donald Trump even emphasized in another post that he is "very satisfied with the work Pete Hegseth is doing", and that "fake news, as usual, is spreading false and baseless rumors". One of the sources added that Donald Trump "never blamed Pete. This whole story is about the leakers".
During the night, the "Washington Post" reported that the American president's anger reached a boiling point when he demanded answers from the Secretary of Defense as to why he was presented with a false representation regarding the "extreme shortage of munitions" that is currently limiting the US in its options to act in Iran. The shortage — especially in long-range missiles and interceptors — was one of the reasons Donald Trump backed down from launching additional extensive strikes against Iran in recent days. According to two officials, the confrontation occurred at a cabinet meeting at Camp David last Friday. The Secretary of Defense, for his part, shifted the responsibility to his deputy Steve Feinberg, claiming that he was the one who did not ensure that the president was aware of the shortage of munitions.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that the described confrontation is "100% fake news" and that Donald Trump has full confidence in Pete Hegseth. Pentagon Press Secretary Sean Parnell also denied that the Secretary of Defense misled the president, and claimed that the reports about the depleted stocks and internal disputes are "fictional". Meanwhile, Donald Trump instructed the Department of Justice to locate what he defined as "traitors" leaking the information from within the administration.
According to CNN, the shortage of munitions is not only worrying US officials, but also leaders of countries in the Persian Gulf, who raised new concerns about how a shortage of air defense systems could harm their ability to stop a possible Iranian retaliation if Donald Trump decides to escalate the conflict. Tehran conveyed a message to the Gulf states that the renewal of American attacks would lead to a counter-attack on energy sites or water desalination facilities throughout the region. A senior official in the White House speculates that the leaks were carried out by elements within the US administration who oppose the war and are determined to push Donald Trump to extract the US from the conflict with Iran.
