President Donald Trump unleashed a fiery attack Thursday against news organizations reporting that the war with Iran has strained U.S. ammunition supplies, accusing the media of wanting America to lose rather than see him claim victory.
Trump issued the broadside in two Truth Social posts as questions continue to mount about the toll the months-long conflict has taken on American weapons reserves.
“The people and Media Outlets that keep harping on the fact that we have no ammunition (And they are 100% wrong!), are actually treasonous,” Trump wrote.
The president argued that the reports were politically motivated and claimed the outlets covering the issue would prefer an American defeat to a Trump victory.
“They do it because they would rather see the United States LOSE a War that we’re easily WINNING, than see me WIN!” he added, signing the post, “President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Trump followed up minutes later with an even harsher rebuke of the media’s coverage of the U.S. military campaign in Iran.
“For the treasonous SCUM that refuses to accurately report on our Military Operation in Iran, we have virtually unlimited amounts of Mid to High Grade Ammunition, far more than we could ever use for this, or for any other War (which is highly unlikely!), that could improbably take place,” he wrote.
Trump maintained that the United States is manufacturing munitions “at levels never seen before” and building up weapons reserves for possible future conflicts.
The president also said his administration was temporarily placing American stockpiles ahead of weapons sales to U.S. allies.
Trump then blamed former President Joe Biden for adding pressure to the country’s ammunition supplies, claiming the previous administration sent more munitions to Ukraine free of charge than the United States has used during the conflict with Iran.
The president’s statements came amid multiple reports that heavy weapons use in the Iran war has significantly depleted certain U.S. reserves.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the conflict has reduced stocks of important weapons, including Patriot interceptors and other precision-guided munitions. The situation has reportedly prompted concerns among officials about America’s ability to remain prepared for other potential conflicts involving China or Russia.
Reuters also reported that the Pentagon is moving aggressively to rebuild supplies.
According to the outlet, the Navy awarded Raytheon a $22.9 billion contract in August intended to boost annual production of Tomahawk missiles from approximately 60 to more than 1,000. Reuters linked the depletion of those weapons to their use during the Iran conflict.
The controversy over ammunition supplies has followed Trump for weeks. The president similarly rejected reports of weapons shortages in August and threatened jail time for government officials responsible for leaking information about U.S. stockpiles.
Trump’s Thursday posts again flatly denied that America is running out of ammunition while accusing news outlets of misrepresenting the condition of the military operation and rooting against the United States.
