‘LONG TERM JAIL SENTENCES WILL BE SOUGHT!: As media reports continue document the depletion of American missile stocks — in particular Patriot and THAAD interceptors and long-range attack missiles — President Donald Trump is becoming increasingly irritated and angry about what he considers “treasonous statements.” In a midnight post on Truth Social, Trump vowed to find and imprison anyone providing the information, which can only embolden the recalcitrant Iranian regime, as it continues to thumb its nose at the U.S. despite months of on-and-off bombing.“The ‘leakers’ of these treasonous statements are being hunted down. Long term jail sentences will be sought!,” Trump said, while insisting the media reports are false. “The U.S. has massive amounts of ‘munitions,’ especially of certain types. Additionally, large amounts are being manufactured and shipped to the U.S. as needed. Defense companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country’s history.”
The threat comes as Reuters is the latest news organization to report that stocks of key munitions have been depleted, quoting two sources as revealing the U.S. Army has used “virtually all” of its ATACMS, “Army Tactical Missile Systems” and Precision Strike Missiles known as “PrSM”, which both cost more than $1 million apiece. “The dramatic rundown in precision, long-range missiles means U.S. President Donald Trump may have to rely more on riskier, piloted bombing missions if he relaunches large-scale attacks on Iran,” Reuters said.For think tanks, like the Center for Strategic and International Studies, calculating the problem is simple math. They know roughly how many of each munition was in the U.S, inventory before the war began Feb. 28, and roughly how many targets have been hit, and how many times the U.S. has had to shoot down Iranian drones and missiles. It’s just basic subtraction, and it’s one reason the U.S. military stopped boasting about how many targets it’s hit on recent strikes.TRUMP ADMINISTRATION VIEWS REPORTING ON REALITY OF IRAN WAR AS TREASON HEGSETH IN THE HOTSEAT: The White House and the Pentagon are pushing back hard against a story in this morning’s Washington Post, which reported that Trump berated his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the munitions issue he thought “had been fixed.”“Trump’s frustration over the Iran war boiled over at Camp David last week, where he demanded answers,” the outlet said, citing what it called “two people familiar with the exchange.” Trump reportedly wanted an explanation for why he had “apparently been misled” on extreme munitions shortages, that may have been a factor for Trump calling off “the biggest attack since World War II” two days later.According to the sources, who the Washington Post said spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation, the encounter took place on the sidelines of Friday’s Cabinet session at Camp David. They said Hegseth blamed his deputy, Stephen Feinberg, for the shortages and for “not ensuring Trump was fully apprised of the issue”“The exchange underscored Trump’s increasing frustration with his defense secretary, who was one of the biggest early advocates for taking military action against Iran, convincing Trump it would be a quick and relatively easy win, according to multiple officials,” the report suggested.“Complete & total Fake News,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell posted on X.“I was at Camp David with President Trump and Secretary Hegseth,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X. “This literally never happened, and we told the Washington Post that repeatedly. This B.S. story was shopped to many outlets by someone clearly out to disparage the Secretary, for whatever reason.”“We told the Washington Post the same thing,” Parnell said. “They ran with the fake, anonymously sourced BS anyway.”“The President loves the Secretary and thinks he’s doing a tremendous job,” Leavitt added.MAJORITY OF AMERICANS SAY IRAN WAR HAS FAILED, ‘NOT WORTH THE COST,’ POLL SHOWSVANCE: ‘3 STEPS FORWARD, AND 1 STEP BACK’: As polls continue to show the American public souring on the war as it drags into its sixth month, Vice President JD Vance — who has become a target of criticism for his failure to achieve a negotiated settlement —said he gets why people are frustrated.“I can certainly understand the American people are maybe looking at this and they say, ‘well, it seems like we’re making progress and then seems like we’re not,’” Vance told Fox News host Laura Ingraham Wednesday night. Bringing the war to a successful conclusion, Vance said, “is going to be messy and it’s going to take some time to get there.”“That sometimes requires one step forward, two steps back, then three steps forward, and one step back,” Vance said, but ultimately he blamed the length of the war on Iran. “Iranians are extraordinarily difficult people,” he said. “There are people within their system who want the war to be over, there are also people within their system who are crazy radicals who want the war to continue.”“We’re kind of in the middle of the game, Vance said, “And I think people are trying to prejudge exactly how this is going to go. I can tell you with confidence, it’s going to go in a place that is good for the United States of America.”As for the criticism he received for his role in the negotiations, Vance said, “If they want to make me own the effort to try to bring this war to a successful conclusion, I’m happy to … own it. I am absolutely trying to do that.”RUBIO CRUSHES VANCE IN NEW 2028 STRAW POLLGood Thursday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Keely Bastow. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSEHAPPENING TODAY: Iran and Oman are reportedly finalizing a draft agreement that would give Iran “oversight” of ships entering the Strait of Hormuz, but the question of whether it will be able to collect tolls or service fees is unclear, with some news outlets such as the Wall Street Journal reporting that Iran would not be allowed to collect payments, while other such as Reuters reporting there are still unresolved issues, with Iran “seeking fees of between 5% and 7% of the price of cargoes from ships using the strait.”Earlier this week Trump claimed talks to reopen the strait were part of a larger negotiations that would include Iran formally agreeing to forsake its nuclear ambitions, and that Iran was “begging” to make a deal to stave off his threatened “biggest attack since World War II.” Trump repeated that same version last night, in remarks to supporters at a rally in Las Vegas. “We were all set for the biggest attack since World War II. And they called me and they said, ‘Please don’t do it, let’s talk,’ Then they say, ‘We never said that,’” Trump said. “But we are talking, let’s see what happens. But they respect us.”Iran has denied that it is in talks with the United States, and said the current negotiations are strictly between Iran and Oman. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Wednesday that the strait will be opened only so long as “certain parties do not obstruct this process,” which may be a reference to the U.S. ending its blockade.Trump again expressed his reluctance to order the so-called “decapitation” strike. “We’re knocking the hell out of them, knocking the hell out of them. I’d rather make a deal because I don’t want to kill people.”TRUMP WARNS GAS PRICES COULD RISE AGAIN: ‘WE MAY HAVE TO SEND IT UP’THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Majority of Americans say Iran war has failed, ‘not worth the cost,’ poll showsWashington Examiner: Trump warns gas prices could rise again: ‘We may have to send it up’Washington Examiner: Vance downplays Netanyahu meeting over Iran war: ‘He didn’t confront me’Washington Examiner: Iranian experts estimate economic losses from Operation Epic Fury at $280 billionWashington Examiner: Putin selects commander to lead new drone warfare branch of Russian militaryWashington Examiner: Explosive drone with detonator found at German airport used by Ukrainian aircraftWashington Examiner: DOJ puts $25 million bounty on US-born cartel leaderWashington Examiner: FAA investigating Trump Marine One safety incidentWashington Examiner: Laura Loomer pitches herself as next homeland security secretaryWashington Examiner: Should a robot decide who dies on the battlefield?AP: Reuters: Iran threatens to hit Gulf states if US launches new strikesWashington Post: Trump, Hegseth clashed over munition shortages affecting Iran war strategyBloomberg: Pentagon Removes Decades of Weapon Test Reports From Public ViewNew York Times: Cost of Trump’s Namesake Warships Likely to Rise by 50 Percent or MoreWashington Post: Lawmakers call for Pentagon probe of Trump family-backed companiesNew York Times: Trump Said Qatari Jet Was Destined for His Library. That May Change.Washington Post: Arrested at Reflecting Pool, woman details ‘heartbreaking’ toll case has takenAir & Space Forces Magazine: Long-Range JDAM Deal Gives Air Force New Standoff Strike OptionDefenseScoop: Space Force Awards $615M in Deals for Second Batch of Aircraft-Tracking SatellitesAir & Space Forces Magazine: Space Force Awards Three New Vendors for Sensing, Targeting TechDefense One: Pentagon Counterdrone Task Force Has a New AI-powered MarketplaceStars and Stripes: Air Force Museum Hosts High-Stakes Drone Competition with $6.5M in PrizesAir & Space Forces Magazine: Lt. Gen. Daniel Tulley Assumes Command of AMCBreaking Defense: Defense Execs Feel Good About Pentagon Spending Despite Uncertainty on FY27 BudgetGovconwire.com: Air Force Lays Out Priorities With Expected FY 2027 Budget BoostAir & Space Forces Magazine: Autonomy and the Short-Range Air FightMilitary.com: 700,000 Gulf War Veterans Finally Get Their National Memorial This FallTHE CALENDAR: THURSDAY | AUGUST 69 a.m. 300 Army Navy Dr., Arlington, Va. — Federal Business Council Irregular Warfare Center Annual Symposium: “A Whole-of-Society Response,” with Joseph Humire, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Americas security affairs https://www.fbcinc.com/e/IWC/default.aspx2 p.m. 2247 Rayburn — Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe hearing: “Demographic Challenges in Wartime Ukraine,” with Daniel Balson, director of advocacy at Razom for Ukraine; Romina Bandura, senior fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies Project on Prosperity and Development; and Nicholas Eberstadt, chair in political economy, American Enterprise Institute https://www.youtube.com/live/NzRoiXTMBLI
