Trump denies clash with Pentagon chief over Iran war munitions

US President Donald Trump on Thursday rejected a media report that he confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over severe munitions shortages constraining military operations against Iran, calling the allegations false and voicing strong support for his Pentagon chief.

Trump dismisses story as 'fake news'

Writing on Truth Social, Trump dismissed The Washington Post story as "fake news," calling the reporting "treasonous" and the article "false." "The Fake News, as usual, is spreading false and completely unfounded rumors. I am extremely happy with the job that Pete Hegseth is doing," he said. The president highlighted Hegseth's elimination of diversity programs and recruitment gains, noting that "Pete is highly respected within the Military, and has made tremendous improvements, including getting rid of DEI, and increasing recruitment to historic levels."

Camp David meeting details emerge

The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that Trump had demanded answers from Hegseth during a meeting at Camp David regarding severe shortages of key weapons systems. Citing two people familiar with the exchange, the newspaper said Trump learned that stockpiles of long-range guided missiles and air-defense interceptors remained depleted despite his understanding that the issue "had been fixed." The shortages have reportedly influenced Trump's recent decision to refrain from launching additional large-scale strikes against Iran.

Pentagon rejects account

During the alleged confrontation, Hegseth defended his performance and blamed Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg for failing to keep the president fully informed about stockpile levels, according to the Post. The White House and Pentagon swiftly denied the report, with chief spokesman Sean Parnell stating that Hegseth "did not mislead anyone about our munitions posture" and dismissing the allegations as "fictional." The administration maintains that US military readiness remains robust despite ongoing operations in the region.