WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump privately confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over reported shortages of key U.S. military munitions during a recent meeting at Camp David, according to accounts published on Thursday, although the White House and Pentagon have denied that any such dispute took place.
The Washington Post reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that Trump expressed frustration after learning that stockpiles of long-range guided missiles and air-defense interceptors were more depleted than he believed, raising concerns about the Pentagon's ability to sustain military operations related to the conflict with Iran. The report said Trump questioned Hegseth over why he had not been fully informed about the extent of the shortages.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected the report, describing it as false, while reaffirming Trump's confidence in Hegseth. The Pentagon also disputed the account of internal discord.
Trump later said the United States possesses "massive amounts" of munitions and vowed to pursue those responsible for leaking internal information, responding publicly after details of the reported meeting emerged.
Questions about U.S. weapons stockpiles have persisted for months as military operations and support for allies have increased demand for advanced missile systems. Hegseth has repeatedly maintained that U.S. inventories remain sufficient while acknowledging previously that replenishing some munitions could take months or years.
Neither the White House nor the Pentagon released additional details about the Camp David discussions, and the reported exchange has not been independently verified. The administration continues to publicly maintain that U.S. military readiness has not been compromised.
