President Donald Trump has assured that the United States maintains substantial ammunition reserves, and his administration is working to reinforce military stockpiles depleted during President Joe Biden's administration from transfers made to Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump stated that the U.S. "has plenty of ammunition" and highlighted the need to restock after significant quantities were provided to Ukraine under Biden.
Trump also noted that the U.S. holds considerable medium-range ammunition reserves and expressed his intent to bolster these supplies to ensure military readiness in the coming period.
Trump's remarks come amid reports of strain on some U.S. military stockpiles due to ongoing support for Ukraine and operations related to Iran, involving advanced munitions such as Tomahawks, JASSM missiles, and Patriot systems.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized the Biden administration for failing to allocate sufficient funding to replace weapons given to Ukraine. NBC News reported that U.S. officials admitted to a more selective approach in intercepting Iranian missiles and drones as air defense stockpiles dwindle.
Reports also indicated that Biden's administration has authorized several additional arms shipments to Ukraine. A report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) noted significant reductions in certain U.S. weapon stocks compared to pre-war levels, prompting the Trump administration to propose a $1.5 trillion defense budget for the next fiscal year aimed at modernizing and rebuilding military stockpiles.
These comments come amid ongoing regional tensions and continued U.S. military operations and support for Ukraine, driving a continued debate in Washington over U.S. military readiness and the scale of its weapon and ammunition reserves.