Transcription
This caps off a week of back and forth strikes between the United States and Iran with dozens of Iranian sites hit, American allies across the region targeted, but there are growing worries that the US is running out of firepower with brand new analysis showing a dramatic drop in munitions needed to stop Iranian attacks.
Military leaders are warning the president that the state of America's munitions stockpile could impact operations in Iran and they have done on more than one occasion. A US official who spoke anonymously to the Associated Press said that the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Kaine, recently raised those concerns with the president.
We've learned new details about a consequential meeting that took place at the White House on Friday when discussions were being had about potentially escalating the conflict with Iran. All of the president's top advisors were were in the room, we're told, and there were some hard truths laid out for the president by both Vice President J.D. Vance and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Dan Kaine, but then warnings about potential concerns related to the options for escalating this conflict. And Kaine in particular pointed to these warnings about the US's diminishing stockpile of key munitions saying that if the US continues to use them at the clip that they've been using them so far in this conflict, they may not have enough for the next war, especially if it's against an adversary like China or Russia.
Now, this is just one of the concerns we're told that was raised during this meeting on Friday that that ultimately preceded the ongoing temporary pause. Um the other concerns that were raised included potentially massive amounts of civilian casualties inside Iran if the US were to follow through with Trump's threat to strike civilian infrastructure, things like power plants um and bridges, things of that nature. We um we're also told that concerns about retaliation against Gulf energy infrastructure um and a broader regional escalation were also mentioned. So, ultimately, those concerns all taken into account seem to have led to this current pause, but there's still so many questions about whether or not diplomacy can ultimately get back on track and bring an end to this war.
Washington think tank, the Center of Strategic and International Studies, also reported this week that Iranian attacks have, quote, required extensive use of our interceptors. This is regarding air defense, and it potentially impacts the US military's readiness. And this comes as the president has spent months insisting that the war's going swell. Nothing's wrong. In fact, Iran's being destroyed as we speak, but he insists that the war is almost finished, which has led many to assume it will be finished about the same time as his Obamacare alternative.
What is the status of talks? Who Who in from the administration is talking to the Iranians?
They break their word so often, Steve is talking, Jared, they're very good people, JD's involved, very strongly involved. We have great people talking, Marcus is involved.
Cuz they say talks aren't happening.
People, we're the best people, but they'll make a deal. As an example, we'll talk about nuclear, and we'll be in there talking about nuclear for 7 hours. I say, "Why is it What do you need 7? You can take 10 minutes. You have 5 minutes." He says, "Oh." But 7 hours, and then they'll go [clears throat] out and I'll say, "They discussed nuclear." And they'll go out and they'll say, "We never discussed nuclear." And I say, "What? What did they say then?" Well, they do is make me angry. You know what I mean? They just make me angry.
But according to Trump's own senior military officials, it really does need to end soon, or they'll be shooting blanks. Officials reportedly warned Trump that the United States is rapidly depleting some of its most important missile defense stockpiles, and may not have the weapons required to sustain his preferred escalation without, you know, exposing American troops. According to several reports, in fact, even NewsNation, who make Fox News look tired, called this to attention. That military leaders are increasingly concerned about shortages of advanced weapons used to shoot down Iranian ballistic missiles before they reach American bases, ships, and personnel.
Military leaders have reportedly warned President Trump that the state of our munitions stockpile could impact our operations in Iran. A US official who spoke with the Associated Press anonymously said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Cain, raised those concerns directly to the president recently. A Washington think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, also reported this week that Iranian attacks have required extensive use of interceptors in air defense, potentially impacting US military readiness. That report said diminished stockpiles may force the United States and its partners to take more risks with interceptions. That we did reach out to the Pentagon about this. They told us in part, "America's military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute." Adding, "The US military possesses a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people."
The challenge is we've been engaged with a, you know, a stiff opponent or adversary with Iran. Um we've had to expend a number of our Patriot missiles and our THAAD systems uh in order to protect American forces. It really comes down to uh really managing that risk. Uh should we decide, should the president decide rather, that he wants to go back to major combat operations.
Now, we also talked to the White House about this, too. They maintained the US has more munitions than it needs and told NewsNation defense companies are at this moment making more than have ever been made before. The Washington Post reports the Department of War is leaning on Silicon Valley defense entrepreneurs to make munitions quickly. Meantime, the Wall Street Journal reports military officials have prepared an option for 2 weeks of intensive air strikes against Iran despite these reports of a dwindling stockpile.
And that poses a fairly significant complication to the president, right? Because Trump's public position is we are completely winning this thing. They want to make a deal. But the military's private wobbling appears to be, "Hey, we are running out of things stopping them from killing us." The same Associated Press report that relied on analysis from the Center of Strategic and International Studies found that the recent fighting may have reduced available Patriot interceptor inventories by approximately 65% and that inventories by approximately 38%.
Now, what makes this all the more problematic for the president is it's not just the blatant fact that the United States possesses vastly greater conventional military power than Iran as well as what every other country in the world combined, but how is this happening when Iran's military was allegedly obliterated? Yet, they keep attacking to the point that US munitions are being depleted. I mean, this is something that Pete Hegseth was asked about in front of Congress and he was shocked to find out that his who rahs just wouldn't cut it.
Mr. Hegseth, you're requesting roughly $68 billion for the department through the supplemental, correct?
67, yes.
And yesterday your department stated publicly, quote, "US forces struck Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems to degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking commercial vessels." That was a press release from your department. Is that a broadly accurate characterization of ongoing operations?
That sounds broadly accurate, yes.
On day 14 of this conflict, Mr. Secretary, day 14, nearly 5 months ago, you stated that Iran's military had been {quote} destroyed {end quote} made combat ineffective. That was on day 14 of the war. Was that an accurate statement?
Um, they didn't have a navy any longer. It's completely sunk. Their missiles were buried underneath a lot of their underground facilities and their defense industrial base has been almost completely destroyed. So, as far as a military assessment of Iran's capabilities, it doesn't didn't mean by any stretch of the imagination absolute zero, but their capability is at the lowest level in a
stated that on day 14 of this conflict, in the second week of the conflict, you stated that Iran's military had been {quote} destroyed {end quote} made combat ineffective. Was that an accurate statement? Yes or no?
Iran's ability to challenge the United States of America at the level at which we're capable of
That's not what I asked you, Mr. Secretary. You said on day 14 Iran's military had been {quote} destroyed {end quote} made combat ineffective. Yes or no, was that an accurate statement?
What the American military has done to the Iranian military is a historic military
you answer the question? 3 weeks later, you declared victory. That was now nearly 4 months ago. 3 weeks after you'd already said Iran's military was destroyed and combat ineffective, you said {quote} Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory. You said Iran's military had been rendered {quote} combat ineffective for years to come. And you stated we had {quote} achieved every single objective. Were those accurate statements?
Uh, it certainly was on behalf of the men and women in uniform a historic military victory over Iran.
Had Iran's military been rendered {quote} combat ineffective for years to come? That was a statement that you made 4 months ago. had
naval vessels in the to answer the questions, Mr. Secretary. You said You said 4 months ago that Iran's military had been rendered combat ineffective and they don't have a defense industrial base. So, describe to me a country that doesn't have an air force a navy or a defense industrial base and I will describe to you a country that country that does not have
Mr. Secretary, you stated 4 months ago that Iran's military had been rendered, quote, combat ineffective for years to come. Has Iran's military been for the last 4 months combat ineffective?
So, according to Reuters, while the US are allegedly preserving weaponry, Iran are just out here adding to theirs by striking deals with, wait for it, China. That's right, the country that Trump claimed would not dare strike a deal with Iran because Xi told him so, just as Putin told him they wouldn't influence the war, either. But, this also becomes an issue for Trump is because Americans, they don't want this war to continue. I mean, the majority have never wanted it in the first place. But, poll after poll shows that Trump is very much underwater regarding his handling of this war with Americans looking for an off-ramp. But, if this is to be the case, the production problem of replenishing these missiles cannot be solved immediately. An earlier CSIS analysis found that contractors could require at least 3 years to replenish inventories of several weapons heavily used during the Iran war. 3 years, that's at the hands of a war that has lasted 5 months and counting. Trump wants Americans to believe that the military can simply continue escalating this war until Tehran gives him the result that he wants, but industrial capacity does not operate on Trump's ever so volatile emotional timeline.
Hasn't Xi told you that, um, China would not give or sell Iran any weapons? There's a new report that Iran's about to get 400 rocket launchers, um, from China going through Pakistan to Iran.
Well, that would be surprising. I've seen things like that happen, but that would be surprising. He told me very strongly he wouldn't partake. Uh but he knows I'd be quite disappointed.
And Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Cayen has reportedly warned that a proposed intensified bombing campaign must be weighed against dwindling air defense interceptors and competing global military requirements. Whereas CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper has reportedly advocated for an intensive campaign lasting approximately 10 to 14 days against Iran's remaining missile infrastructure.
So here you have one military leader taking the more cautious position and another doing the opposite, which emphasizes that further escalation could consume what the United States might need elsewhere. So it doesn't exactly boast this military enthusiasm that confirms Trump's victory narrative. It's the military basically presented Donald Trump with the bill and the tally code. That's why this report is so damaging, right? It exposes the difference between Trump's public rhetoric and the military's operational reality.
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