Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(134,738 posts)
Wed Mar 4, 2026, 02:04 PM 15 hrs ago

Trump Caught in Frantic Scramble to Replenish Iran Weapons

President Donald Trump has called a meeting Friday with defense contractors to try to speed up weapons production as his war in Iran burns through U.S. missile stocks.

The president—who has ordered military strikes against more countries than any other U.S. president in modern history—claimed Monday in a Truth Social post that the U.S. has a “virtually unlimited supply” of munitions, and that “wars can be fought ‘forever,’ and very successfully, using just these supplies.”

But with no end in sight to the deadly attacks on Iran—which have in turn triggered retaliatory strikes throughout the Middle East, killing six U.S. soldiers to date—Pentagon officials told The Washington Post earlier this week the mood was “intense and paranoid” as the military ran through its stockpiles of U.S. air defense interceptor missiles.

Even before “Operation Epic Fury” began on Saturday, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine had warned the White House that weapons shortages and limited allied support would significantly increase risks to both the mission and U.S. troops, according to the Post.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-caught-frantic-scramble-replenish-102258088.html

Trump administration could order U.S. manufacturers to make more munitions amid Iran war

WASHINGTON — Concerns over depleting munitions used to defend American forces in the Middle East may lead the Trump administration to force defense companies to produce more weaponry quickly, according to three people familiar with the discussions.

In private briefings with Congress, Trump administration officials have discussed the prospect of invoking the Defense Production Act to accelerate the production of munitions as the U.S. carries out a war with Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury, these people said. Such a move would go beyond President Donald Trump’s public urging that defense companies manufacture more weaponry.

“We have unlimited middle and upper ammunition, which is really what we’re using in this war,” Trump told reporters Tuesday, though there is no unlimited stockpile of munitions. A White House official later said “middle and upper” referred to the range of the munitions. “I rebuilt the military,” Trump said, calling the U.S. munitions “really powerful stuff.”

Trump also said Tuesday in an interview with Politico that defense companies are “under emergency orders” and “are on a rapid tear to build the various things we need.” The White House official said Trump was referring to his urging companies to move faster.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-administration-could-order-u-110041287.html

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trump Caught in Frantic Scramble to Replenish Iran Weapons (Original Post) Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin 15 hrs ago OP
Calling Rosie the Riveter.... Sogo 14 hrs ago #1
I don't understand, Kegseth said we wage war doc03 14 hrs ago #2
Why do I feel we're in a race against time? Baitball Blogger 14 hrs ago #3
"I rebuilt the military," but don't have enough leftstreet 14 hrs ago #4
Masters of War. 617Blue 14 hrs ago #5
T: You can order all you want - but you have to pay the contractors. harumph 14 hrs ago #6
Nothing boosts inflation and deficit spending like a good old war...nt Wounded Bear 13 hrs ago #8
US troops in Iran racing against the clock before running out of ammo: report LetMyPeopleVote 13 hrs ago #7

Baitball Blogger

(52,111 posts)
3. Why do I feel we're in a race against time?
Wed Mar 4, 2026, 02:16 PM
14 hrs ago

Trump is pushing us towards the cliff and we're in a timeout, waiting for the next election for the opportunity to come out to stop him at the pass.

harumph

(3,196 posts)
6. T: You can order all you want - but you have to pay the contractors.
Wed Mar 4, 2026, 02:51 PM
14 hrs ago

IOW, the employees that make all the high tech shit need to be paid.
Note: Actually paying for services has been traditionally difficult for Trump.

LetMyPeopleVote

(178,326 posts)
7. US troops in Iran racing against the clock before running out of ammo: report
Wed Mar 4, 2026, 03:06 PM
13 hrs ago

U.S. troops in Iran are staring down a difficult situation in the wake of strikes that killed Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a new report.

U.S. troops in Iran are staring down a difficult situation in the wake of strikes that killed Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a new report.

Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-03-02T03:00:14.654Z

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-iran-2675514870

U.S. troops in Iran are staring down a difficult situation in the wake of strikes that killed Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a new report.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that U.S. troops are racing to destroy Iran's ballistic and nuclear missile facilities before they run out of interceptors to defend from Iranian retaliatory strikes. The exact size of the military's ammunition base is classified, but analysts and former officials who spoke to The Journal said the stockpile has been diminished after repeated conflicts in the region.

At the same time, military troops are working to fend off a series of retaliatory strikes from the Iranians. U.S. Central Command said on Saturday that they mounted a "largely successful defense against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks," according to the report.

�One of the challenges is you can deplete these really quickly,� Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, told The Journal. �We�re using them faster than we can replace them.�

Troops are also running low on sea-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles and aircraft-launched weapons following the operation last year to take out Yemen-based Houthi militants, according to the report.

�Eventually it boils down to numbers,� Jonathan Conricus, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told The Journal. �How many interceptors will we have versus how many launchers will they be able to field and fire.�
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Trump Caught in Frantic S...