Hegseth Says US Military Stockpiles Remain Strong Despite War Costs

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pushed back against concerns that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has severely strained America’s weapons reserves, insisting the country’s military stockpiles remain robust.

Speaking on CBS News’ Face the Nation on Sunday, Hegseth rejected suggestions that the United States is facing a munitions shortage.

“That is a manufactured story that the media wants to peddle, and ultimately our stockpiles are great and they’re only getting stronger,” he stated.

The remarks came shortly before Washington and Tehran announced a deal to end hostilities across the region and restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Debate over the condition of US military inventories intensified last month when Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao cited the Middle East conflict as one reason for suspending some weapons transfers to Taiwan.

Hegseth, however, said the administration has continued to strengthen military readiness and replenish stocks.

“We’re building more than ever before. The Biden administration gave away hundreds of billions to Ukraine, and so President Trump had to refill, and he has, and we have, in real time.”

The defense secretary also addressed comments he made during an April congressional hearing, where he indicated that replacing certain weapons systems could take “months and years.”

According to Hegseth, those remarks reflected the varying timelines required to replenish different types of munitions.

“I speculated some munitions take more time than others” to refill, he explained.

The Pentagon recently estimated that the conflict with Iran has cost nearly $29 billion, though some critics argue the true financial impact is significantly higher.

Among them is Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, who warned that inventories of Tomahawk cruise missiles, Patriot air-defense interceptors and other sophisticated weapons had been heavily reduced and could take years to restore.

Hegseth rejected that assessment, saying concerns about depleted stockpiles have been exaggerated.

“Foolishly and unhelpfully overstated,” he said.

The debate over US military readiness continues as officials assess the long-term impact of recent conflicts and the resources required to sustain global security commitments.

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