Report: Trump orders probe into US munitions leaks, threatens leakers with prison
President reportedly furious that disclosures of dwindling missile stocks project weakness as Washington weighs further action against Iran
The Trump administration has opened an investigation into leaks revealing strains on US munitions stockpiles, with President Donald Trump pushing the Justice Department to identify and prosecute those responsible, CNN reported Friday, citing senior US officials.
Trump has privately complained that the disclosures make the United States appear weak as he seeks to pressure Iran into a deal while repeatedly threatening further military action, according to the report. Officials said the president has called those behind the leaks “treasonous” and publicly threatened “long term jail sentences” for anyone found to have disclosed the information.
The issue reportedly came up during last week’s Cabinet meeting at Camp David, where Trump expressed frustration over media coverage of depleted weapons stocks. CNN cited six people familiar with the meeting as saying Trump had known for months about potential shortages, but was angered that the extent of the problem had become public at a moment when Washington was seeking to project military strength.
CNN reported earlier this week that the US military has used nearly four-fifths of its pre-war THAAD missile inventory and roughly half of its Patriot interceptors since the war began, citing sources familiar with the latest inventory assessment.
Trump sought Thursday to play down concerns about shortages, saying the US possessed “massive amounts” of munitions and that manufacturers were expanding production. He nevertheless acknowledged that some types were in “tighter” supply, while saying less advanced weapons were available in virtually unlimited quantities.
White House officials told CNN that Trump has not blamed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the disclosures, with one official saying the president’s anger was directed entirely at the leakers. Some administration officials reportedly suspect the information is being provided by anti-war figures inside the government seeking to persuade Trump to pull the United States out of the conflict.