Happy with Pete: Trump rejects reported clash with Hegseth over Iran war munitions

The Iran war may have raised questions about America's weapons stockpile, but US President Donald Trump says it has not created divisions within his administration. He denied reports of a confrontation with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Instead, he offered a strong vote of confidence in Hegseth, calling reports of a heated Camp David confrontation over dwindling munitions stockpiles "false".

"The Fake News, as usual, is spreading false and completely unfounded rumors. I am extremely happy with the job that Pete Hegseth is doing," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Seeking to reinforce his confidence in Hegseth, Trump pointed to sweeping changes under the Pentagon chief's leadership. He said recruitment had reached historic levels and praised efforts to roll back DEI initiatives across the military.

"Pete is highly respected within the Military, and has made tremendous improvements, including getting rid of DEI, and increasing recruitment to historic levels," Trump wrote.

He also accused The Washington Post of publishing "false" information. His response came after The Washington Post reported that he confronted Hegseth at Camp David over critical shortages of US munitions.

REPORT CITES MUNITIONS SHORTAGE

According to The Washington Post, Trump questioned Hegseth during a Camp David meeting after discovering that shortages of key munitions had not been resolved despite assurances that the problem had already been addressed.

Citing two people familiar with the matter, the newspaper reported that Trump sought answers over dwindling supplies of long-range precision-guided missiles and air defence interceptors, which had allegedly constrained US military planning during the conflict with Iran. The report also claimed the shortages influenced Trump's decision not to authorise additional large-scale strikes against Iran in recent days.

According to the newspaper, Hegseth sought to deflect blame, telling Trump that Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg was responsible for managing weapons stockpiles and keeping the president apprised of their status.

PENTAGON REJECT ALLEGATIONS

The White House and the Pentagon quickly rejected the report.

Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said Hegseth "did not mislead anyone about our munitions posture" and described the allegations as "fictional."

The administration has repeatedly insisted that America's defence capabilities remain strong despite media reports questioning the state of military stockpiles after the Iran conflict.

TRUMP SAYS US HAS 'MASSIVE AMOUNTS' OF MUNITIONS

Earlier on Thursday, Trump also sought to reassure people over the country's weapons inventory after multiple media outlets reported that US stockpiles had been significantly depleted.

"The US has massive amounts of 'munitions,' especially of certain types. Additionally, large amounts are being manufactured and shipped to the US as needed," Trump wrote in another Truth Social post.

"Defense companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country's history," he added.

The latest dispute follows reports by several US media outlets that the Pentagon has been drawing heavily on its missile inventories following military operations in the Middle East.

CNN reported that the US military had used nearly 80 per cent of the interceptors for its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defence system. The network, citing multiple sources, also reported that senior military commanders had warned the Pentagon that some munitions stockpiles had fallen to "dangerously low" levels.

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