The comments are the US president’s latest criticism of critical media coverage of what experts call an alarming shortfall.
Published September 3, 2026
As the US-Israel war with Iran enters its seventh month, US President Donald Trump has again denied media reports detailing dangerously low military stockpiles.
In a post on his Truth social account, President Trump said the military is producing munitions at “levels never seen before” and “far exceeding what we can use.”
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He also again criticized news outlets for reporting on the US’s shortage of offensive and defensive weapons, calling them “traitorous scum” who refuse to “accurately report” on the war with Iran.
President Trump made similar comments in August about reports of ammunition shortages, with the Washington Post reporting that he was increasingly frustrated with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth over supplies shortages.
At the time, President Trump called the reports “treasonous statements” and promised that anyone who leaked information to the press would be “hunted down” and “face long prison terms.”
Numerous U.S. news outlets have reported on the damage the Iran war has inflicted on U.S. military munitions and other supplies, particularly those needed to protect U.S. military bases and regional allies from Iranian-launched missiles and drones.
The report is backed by experts including the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which announced in July that the United States has just over a third of its Patriot anti-missile missiles and about half of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors remaining.
According to CSIS, a large portion of the offensive weapons stockpile, including Tomahawk missiles, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM), and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), were also used in the war.
Experts have warned that it could take at least two years to replenish America’s supply of major weapons, despite a series of new agreements by the Trump administration with defense contractors aimed at speeding up production.
In the short term, former military officials warn, this shortfall could undermine deterrence against adversaries with more advanced weapons technology than Iran.
Meanwhile, press freedom groups said President Trump has taken a number of alarming actions against critical news organizations since returning to office in 2025.
President Trump called on federal broadcast regulators to revoke media licenses in response to the report.
Federal prosecutors also took the unusual step of subpoenaing a growing number of journalists to track down confidential sources within the administration who leaked information to the press.
