US missile stocks running low? Trump set to confront defence giants over supply crisis
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US President Donald Trump Photograph: (Donald Trump/Truth Social)
US President Donald Trump is expected to confront top defence contractors over rapidly shrinking missile stockpiles. Depleted by conflicts with Iran and Ukraine, production delays have triggered significant presidential frustration.
US President Donald Trump is expected to summon the heads of several leading American defence contractors to the White House amid mounting concern over rapidly shrinking US missile stockpiles. The meeting, expected to involve executives from approximately seven defence companies, comes as the Pentagon grapples with munitions shortages exacerbated by the ongoing conflict with Iran and years of military assistance to Ukraine. Deputy Defence Secretary Stephen Feinberg is also expected to attend.
According to people familiar with the plans cited by NBC News, Trump has become increasingly frustrated over the pace of weapons production and is expected to pressure defence industry leaders to accelerate manufacturing. One source familiar with the planned discussions said the meeting could be "ugly" because of the President's anger over dwindling inventories.
However, a White House official told NBC News that no such meeting was on Trump's schedule "at this time", noting that it could still be postponed or cancelled. The concern centres largely on missile stockpiles that recent military operations have heavily depleted. NBC News reported that the United States has fired more than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles during the war with Iran alone. Before the conflict, the US was estimated to possess roughly 3,100 Tomahawks.
At the same time, defence giant Lockheed Martin has reportedly warned that it cannot provide allies with firm delivery timelines for Patriot missile interceptors, despite efforts to triple production. The Pentagon's missile reserves have been under pressure since Washington began supplying military aid to Ukraine following Russia's invasion in 2022. The situation worsened during Operation Midnight Hammer last year and intensified further during Operation Epic Fury, the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran that began on 28 February.
To sustain operations, the Pentagon has reportedly drawn on missile inventories previously positioned in Europe and Asia.
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Despite growing alarm over the state of US munitions reserves, NBC News reported that the Pentagon has not signed any new multiyear contracts for additional missile production since Trump returned to office. While framework agreements for future weapons procurement have reportedly been reached, officials and defence industry representatives said no new contracts have yet been issued to manufacture additional munitions.
