Hegseth Denies Reports of US Ammunition Shortage

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday denied reports of a US ammunition shortage during an appearance on "Face the Nation," calling the claims an artificially created story. He insisted that stocks are excellent and only strengthening.

However, on April 30, Hegseth told the Senate Armed Services Committee that replenishing military stocks could take "months or even years" due to the war with Iran. He described that timeline as "fast" but acknowledged it depends on the weapon type. The Pentagon has not disclosed how much munition has been used so far.

Senator Mark Kelly warned in early May that US missile stocks have significantly shrunk because of the war, and that in a prolonged conflict, the US might not be able to defend itself. Meanwhile, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) reported in late April that after nearly two months, the US had used nearly half of its key air defense missile inventories.

Hegseth claimed that the Biden administration allocated hundreds of billions to Ukraine, and President Trump replenished stocks. He said the US is now producing more than ever, producing faster, and reducing Pentagon bureaucracy to speed up the defense industry. Kelly countered on Sunday that strikes on over 10,000 targets consume a massive amount of munitions, which are not unlimited.