President Trump says US-Iran peace deal is ‘done’
President Donald Trump and Pakistan’s Prime Minister announced that they have reached an agreement to end the war with Iran.
WASHINGTON – Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth denied on June 14 that the United States is facing a military stockpile shortage, despite testifying before Congress that replenishing some weapons systems could take “months, even years.”
Appearing on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Hegseth sparred with host Margaret Brennan, claiming that reports of depleted U.S. stockpiles were “a fabricated story.”
“Our reserves are excellent and will only get stronger in the future,” he said.
Brennan pointed to Hegseth’s testimony before the Senate Arms Committee in April, in which he said building up U.S. military supplies after the Iran war, which is nearing its fourth month, could take “months, even years.”
“You don’t have to go back and read my testimony. I just assumed that some ammunition took longer than others,” he said. “We have a lot of them. We’re building more than ever.”
The war with Iran and supplies sent to Ukraine in recent years have depleted America’s weapons stockpile. Last year, the Pentagon suspended shipments to Ukraine for several weeks during a “capability review” to ensure there were enough weapons to meet U.S. needs.
To replenish its weapons systems fleet, the Trump administration has met with several major U.S. defense contractors, including executives from BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman.
Hegseth and some Republicans say the problem stems from U.S. aid to Ukraine under the Biden administration. Democrats argue that the depleted stockpile is a horrifying step in the Iran war.
A recent analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies found that it could take more than three years to replenish U.S. weapons systems used during the Iran war, including Tomahawk missiles and Patriot interceptor missiles.
“The Trump administration understands the urgency, and the president’s large-scale military acquisitions in the $1.5 trillion fiscal year 2027 defense budget reflect concerns about the depth of these magazines,” the report released last month said.
Hegseth said the Trump administration was “overestimating” weapons production by “cutting through the Pentagon bureaucracy to force industry to move quickly.”
“Our stockpiles are strong and will continue to get stronger,” he said.
Contributor: Cybele Mayes-Osterman
