US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has flatly denied that the American military is facing a munitions stockpile shortage, calling it a “manufactured story” peddled by the media.
Speaking on CBS News' Face the Nation on Sunday, Hegseth said: “That is a manufactured story that the media wants to peddle, and ultimately our stockpiles are great and they’re only getting stronger.”
His comments came just hours before the United States and Iran announced a deal to end the Middle East war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Hegseth argued that the Biden administration had “gave away hundreds of billions to Ukraine,” forcing President Donald Trump to refill the stockpiles — which he said the administration has done “in real time.”
“We’re building more than ever before,” Hegseth added.
But the Pentagon chief’s confident tone contradicts his own testimony from just two months ago. At an April congressional hearing, Hegseth told lawmakers it could take “months and years” to replenish the stockpile, describing that as a “fast” time frame.
On Sunday, Hegseth explained that in his testimony he had “speculated some munitions take more time than others” to refill.
The Pentagon said last month that the cost of the war with Iran had climbed to nearly $29 billion. Democrats and other war critics have questioned that figure, suggesting the true cost — including damage inflicted by Iran — could be far higher.
Democratic Senator Mark Kelly warned that inventories of Tomahawk missiles, Patriot interceptors, and other advanced weapons had been severely drawn down and could take years to replenish. Hegseth responded that such concerns were “foolishly and unhelpfully overstated.”
Concerns over the strain on US weapons stockpiles deepened last month after Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao cited the Middle East conflict as a reason for pausing arms sales to Taiwan.
“That is a manufactured story that the media wants to peddle, and ultimately our stockpiles are great and they’re only getting stronger.” — Pete Hegseth
Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Army veteran, was confirmed as Defense Secretary in January 2025 after Trump nominated him. He’s been a vocal supporter of the administration's military actions in the Middle East.
The deal with Iran, announced Sunday, is expected to halt hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. But questions remain about the long-term health of US weapons inventories after months of intense combat.
Critics say Hegseth’s shifting statements — from warning of a multi-year replenishment to dismissing the issue as a media invention — undermine public trust in the Pentagon’s assessments. The administration hasn't released independent audits of current stockpile levels.