Trump rejects claims of U.S. munitions shortage and vows jail for leakers

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States possesses "massive amounts" of munitions and that production and shipments are continuing to meet demand. He added that individuals he described as "leakers" would face long-term jail sentences.

The comments come as the Pentagon and the White House confront questions about the state of the military's arsenal during the six-month Iran-U.S. conflict. Reports from U.S. media outlets have suggested that large quantities of long-range precision missiles have been expended.

"The 'leakers' of these treasonous statements are being hunted down. Long term jail sentences will be sought!" Trump wrote on his social-media platform.

"I really believe their fake 'reporting' is treasonous!" he added in a follow-up post.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has emphasized tighter controls on Pentagon information, dismissed the shortage narrative as a "manufactured story" during a recent television interview.

Analysts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated that by the end of July the U.S. retained between 759 and 827 Patriot missiles, roughly one-third of the pre-conflict inventory, and that about 60% of THAAD missiles have been used. The think-tank noted that ongoing demands, including shipments to Ukraine, could further strain supplies.

Trump later told reporters that approving Ukraine's request for additional Patriot missiles would be a "big step," but said discussions were still ongoing. Earlier, he told the Wall Street Journal that the United States has "far more munitions than anyone in the world, and far more than we need."