US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied on Sunday that the American military is facing a munitions stockpile shortage, labeling the claims a “manufactured story” pushed by the media. His remarks came just hours before the United States and Iran announced a deal to end the Middle East war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Background on stockpile concerns
Concerns over the Middle East war straining US weapons stockpiles intensified last month after Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao cited the conflict as a reason for pausing arms sales to Taiwan. When asked on CBS News’ Face the Nation whether there is a crisis in munitions stockpiles, Hegseth dismissed the idea outright.
“That is a manufactured story that the media wants to peddle, and ultimately our stockpiles are great and they’re only getting stronger,” Hegseth said. “We’re building more than ever before. The Biden administration gave away hundreds of billions to Ukraine, and so President Trump had to refill, and he has, and we have, in real time.”
Previous testimony on replenishment timeline
At an April congressional hearing, Hegseth testified that it could take “months and years” to replenish the stockpile, describing that as a “fast” time frame. On Sunday, Hegseth clarified that in his testimony he “speculated some munitions take more time than others” to refill.
The Pentagon reported last month that the cost of the war with Iran had climbed to nearly $29 billion. Democrats and other critics of the war have questioned the Pentagon’s calculations, suggesting the true cost—including damage inflicted by Iran—could be far higher.
Democratic Senator Mark Kelly warned at the time that inventories of Tomahawk missiles, Patriot interceptors, and other advanced weapons had been severely drawn down and could take years to replenish. Hegseth responded that such concerns were “foolishly and unhelpfully overstated.”
