WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered new federal investigations into unauthorized leaks regarding the Pentagon’s munitions stockpiles, following a wave of media reports highlighting depleted American missile inventories tied to ongoing military operations against Iran.
According to administration officials cited by The Wall Street Journal, Trump directed the leak probes after privately expressing concern that public disclosures about dwindling weapons supplies could embolden leadership in Tehran and undermine Washington’s strategic leverage in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
The directive comes on the heels of reports detailing a confrontation during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David between President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the true status of U.S. missile reserves. Reports indicated that when pressed on why critical munitions shortages remained unresolved, Hegseth pointed to Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg for failing to ensure the White House was fully briefed on supply constraints.
Addressing the reports at the White House, President Trump conceded that while the U.S. “always wants more,” overall military inventories remain robust.
“The U.S. has massive amounts of ‘munitions,’ especially of certain types,” Trump declared, emphasizing that defense manufacturers are expanding production capacity nationwide. In a statement on Truth Social, he added that federal agencies are actively hunting down the “leakers” responsible for disclosing classified stockpile figures, warning that long-term prison sentences will be sought.
Pushing back against claims of strategic vulnerability, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the United States possesses “more than enough firepower” to carry out any military mission ordered by the Commander-in-Chief. Leavitt further warned that anyone entrusted with classified military information who leaks it to news outlets is betraying public trust, breaking federal law, and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.
The Pentagon also forcefully rejected assertions of internal friction, with Chief Spokesman Sean Parnell denying that Secretary Hegseth misled the President or shifted blame to Deputy Secretary Feinberg, calling reports of depleted stockpiles and cabinet division “fictional”.
