Trump Furious with Defence Secretary Hegseth After US Cancels Major Strike on Iran

President Donald Trump confronted Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during a cabinet meeting at Camp David last weekend. According to The Washington Post, Trump berated Hegseth over munitions shortages that have limited military options against Iran.

Citing two sources familiar with the event, The Washington Post reported that Trump demanded answers after learning that the US military is currently experiencing shortages of key munitions, including long-range guided missiles and air defence systems. He had previously been told that the munitions stockpile issues had been resolved.

The report stated that the munitions shortage was a factor in the decision to postpone a large-scale strike against Iran late last week. Notably, Patriot missiles require two years to produce, even though the Pentagon has signed agreements with contractors.

According to the same report, Hegseth defended himself during the confrontation and shifted blame to Deputy Defence Secretary Stephen Feinberg for the munitions shortage and for failing to ensure Trump was informed about the actual quantity of military stockpiles.

The White House denied The Washington Post’s report, with spokesperson Karoline Leavitt calling it ‘100 per cent fake news’ and stating that President Trump has high confidence in Secretary Hegseth. The Pentagon also refuted the claims, with spokesperson Sean Parnell saying Hegseth ‘did not mislead anyone about munitions posture’ and describing the allegations as ‘fiction’.