Trump Says ‘Unlimited’ Weapons Stockpiles Mean Wars Can Be Fought ‘Forever’
Topline
President Donald Trump late on Monday night claimed that the U.S. has the ability to fight wars “forever” with its “virtually unlimited” supply of weapons, in comments that appear to dismiss analyst concerns about America’s munitions stockpile as the U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran continued to escalate and threatened to spiral into a broader regional conflict.
US President Donald Trump speaks during a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC.
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
In a post on Truth SocialTrump wrote: “The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better.”
The president then claimed the U.S. has “a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons,” and added “Wars can be fought ‘forever,’ and very successfully, using just these supplies.”
Trump then claimed the U.S. has a “good supply” of the highest-end weapons, but “are not where we want to be.”
The president then attacked his predecessor, Joe Biden, alleging that he “spent all of his time, and our Country’s money, GIVING everything to…Zelenskyy of Ukraine,” and didn’t “bother to replace it.”
What Have Analysts Said About U.s. Munitions Stockpiles?
On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported that while planning the U.S. operation against Iran, the military’s top general flagged an issue with the country’s stockpile of munitions. The primary concern revolves around the U.S.’s stock of air defense interceptors critical in defending against Iran’s wave of ballistic missile drone attacks on neighboring Middle Eastern states where U.S. forces are stationed. The U.S. military’s THAAD antimissile defense system has been deployed in Israel and Jordan, but the report said there are growing concerns within the Pentagon about the stockpile of THAAD’s interceptor missiles. The military is also attempting to replenish stocks of Patriot and Standard Missile interceptors—the latter of which can be used to counter ballistic missiles above the Earth’s atmosphere.
What To Watch For
It is unclear if Trump’s comments about the ability to fight wars “forever” means he expects a prolonged conflict with Iran. On Sunday, Trump had told various news outlets that he expects the campaign to last between four to five weeks. Then on Monday, Trump raised the possibility of a shorter conflict, telling CNN that he hoped the war wouldn’t last too long and claimed “we’re a little ahead of schedule.” Later in the day, while speaking at the Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House, Trump again mentioned the “four to five weeks” timeline but added “we have the capability to go far longer than that.” In an interview with the New York PostTrump said he didn’t have “the yips” about putting boots on the ground in Iran but he believes the operation “probably” won’t need them.
Further Reading
U.S. Embassy In Saudi Arabia Hit In Suspected Iranian Drone Attack (Forbes)
