According to a report carried by The Washington Post on Wednesday, the confrontation took place at Camp David last Friday, where Trump demanded answers from Hegseth over why he had apparently been given an “inaccurate picture” of US military capabilities as Washington faces shortages of long-range guided missiles and air-defense interceptors.
The shortages have become a constraint on American military options, with the United States running low, among other things, on Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems needed to protect American personnel stationed at the bases that have come under Iranian reprisal.
According to two people familiar with the situation, who were cited by The Post, Trump’s frustration over the situation boiled over during a Cabinet meeting.
The frustration peaked over “why he (Hegseht) had apparently been misled on extreme munitions shortages that now threaten to limit military options with Iran,” the sources told the daily.
Trump told Hegseth that he believed the munitions problem “had been fixed,” they said.
Hegseth reportedly attributed responsibility for the shortages and the failure to adequately communicate their extent to Deputy Secretary of War Stephen Feinberg.
The White House has, however, strongly denied that the confrontation occurred.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Post that the report was “false” and rejected the account of a dispute between Trump and Hegseth.
The depletion of THAAD systems is particularly significant for US forces, given that Iranian strikes have targeted American personnel and positions in the region.
The shortages have also been cited as a reason Trump has refrained from ordering additional major strikes against Iran.
MNA
