Pentagon spokesperson says claims of US munitions shortage amid Iran war 'false' - report

"The US has massive amounts of 'munitions'" Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on August 6, adding that claims of any munitions shortage were fabricated.Follow us on GoogleA general view of the Pentagon in Washington, DC, US, March 21, 2025. (photo credit: Kent Nishimura/Reuters)ByESTHER DAVISAUGUST 21, 2026 06:33"Claims of US munitions shortages are false," Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday."America’s military remains the most powerful fighting force on earth. We have everything required to strike at the time and place of the President’s choosing," Parnell addedA Reuters report on August 4 found that the US Army had used up "virtually all" of its stockpile of highly accurate long-range missiles during its five-month war with Iran.These long-range munitions allow the military to carry out accurate strikes from a safe distance, playing a crucial role in the US-Iran conflict.White House disputed reports of shortagesWhen asked for comment on the stockpile data, the White House issued a statement from Trump, saying the US had “far more munitions than anyone in the world" and "far more than we need," Reuters reported.Sean Parnell speaks on stage, on the day Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump returns for a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, US, October 5, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/BRIAN SNYDER)"Our defense companies are, at this moment, making more munitions than they have ever made before, in addition to expanding their plants and equipment at record levels," Trump said.The Washington Post found that in the first month of the conflict with Iran, the US had fired more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles and over 1,000 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missiles, and used at least 1,300 tactical ballistic missiles.Additionally, Reuters reported that between February and July the US had used around 65% of its Patriot interceptors."The US has massive amounts of 'munitions'" Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on August 6, adding that claims of any munitions shortage were fabricated.Pentagon orders plan for rapid weapons productionThe Pentagon told US defense industry leaders to prepare plans to escalate production and delivery of weapons as reports of munitions shortages escalate, The Washington Post reported on August 8, citing a Defense Department memo. Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg wrote that the leaders had no more than 21 days to present plans to “drive significantly faster, more aggressive delivery schedules and/or increased production for critical capabilities,” on Wednesday, according to the memo.“Years-long development cycles are not acceptable. We must dramatically accelerate our program schedules and expand our production capacity now.”Danya Saperstein contributed to this report.Follow us on Google