US Weaker Than Ever: Trump Furious Over Information Leak
US President Donald Trump reacted sharply to media reports about the reduction of weapons stockpiles, fearing that this would weaken Washington's position in negotiations with Iran. According to CNN, at a cabinet meeting he expressed dissatisfaction with the leaks, although he had known about the problems for several months. Trump threatened punishment for those responsible, calling them 'traitors,' and instructed the Justice Department to find them. He also confirmed the refusal to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles for Patriot systems, blaming the Biden administration for depleting stockpiles.
US President Donald Trump reacted sharply to reports in American media about the reduction of the country's weapons stockpiles. In his view, such leaks could worsen Washington's position in negotiations with Iran and create the impression among adversaries that the US is experiencing a shortage of ammunition. This is reported by CNN, citing statements from American officials. According to the publication's interlocutors, during a cabinet meeting last week, Trump irritably addressed the topic of publications about the state of American arsenals. At the same time, officials claim that the president had known for several months about possible problems with certain categories of ammunition, so the information about the reduction of stockpiles was not a surprise to him. However, the White House chief, as CNN notes, was particularly displeased that the information became public in the midst of the conflict and continues to be actively discussed. This, in his opinion, hinders the administration's ability to demonstrate US strength and maintain advantageous positions in international negotiations. On Thursday, Trump stated that the US armed forces have significant stockpiles of ammunition, especially certain types. At the same time, his statements actually admitted that some media reports about the state of arsenals correspond to reality. The president also announced his intention to achieve serious punishment for those who might have passed classified information to journalists. According to Trump, this could involve long prison terms. At the same time, the head of state's claims have not yet been directly addressed to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. As American officials claim, Trump instructed the Justice Department to identify administration employees he considers involved in the leaks, calling them 'traitors.' The White House is also considering the version that officials opposed to the war may be involved in the dissemination of information. It is assumed that in this way they are trying to pressure the president and achieve an end to US participation in the conflict. The discussion around American weapons stockpiles began almost from the first stages of the war with Iran. Since then, Trump has repeatedly accused the previous administration of weakening American arsenals. In particular, he linked this to large-scale arms supplies to Ukraine. Against this background, the American president actually confirmed that he did not agree to provide Ukraine with additional long-range missiles for Patriot systems. Trump stated that American military personnel need to preserve their own stockpiles. He also again accused the Joe Biden administration of transferring a large amount of weapons to Ukraine. According to the US president, when he left his first term, American warehouses were well stocked, but subsequently a significant portion of the stockpiles was used, and now Washington is forced to restore them. At the same time, Trump emphasized that American weapons are stored not only directly on US territory. According to him, significant stockpiles are located in different regions of the world, and if necessary, Washington will be able to use them.