Trump Mentions Tapping The 'Older Stuff' While Dismissing Reports Of Missile Shortages The below Trump exchange with reporters in the Oval Office on Monday seems a tacit admission from the Commander-in-Chief that yes, the United States is running out of standoff munitions... Q: Several military leaders have reportedly told Hegseth that a prolonged, large-scale operation in Iran weakens our ability to confront threats elsewhere, including the homeland. Have you heard that? TRUMP: We're very respected. Nobody else would be crazy enough to do it... We have unlimited amounts of... older stuff. Q: Several military leaders have reportedly told Hegseth that a prolonged, large-scale operation in Iran weakens our ability to confront threats elsewhere, including the homeland. Have you heard that? TRUMP: We're very respected. Nobody else would be crazy enough to do it. We⌠pic.twitter.com/nBbjAXhxmn â Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 31, 2026 The suggestion here is that the "older stuff" will of necessity be tapped in order to both support allies abroad and keep the 'homeland' safe from external threats. The White House has at this point been dealing with similar media inquiries for months. It has batted down such claims as a dwindling Pentagon missile arsenal, due to the simultaneous and costly Iran and Ukraine wars. For example, Trump himself in an August 6 Truth Social post asserted: "The U.S. has massive amounts of 'munitions,' especially of certain types." He had added at the time: "Additionally, large amounts are being manufactured and shipped to the US as needed." Perhaps the Iran conflict hitting the six-month mark made the White House realize that if sporadic military tit-for-tat continues on the current track, then missile stores are in serious trouble, and the 'old stuff' must be increasingly relied upon. While the full exchange involved Trump seeking to reassure that in his view there's no problem with American stockpiles, the reference to 'mid-grade' and 'older stuff' has some analysts worried - and also given the somewhat defensive reference of blaming Ukraine: REPORTER: And back on Iran, several military leaders have reportedly told Secretary Hegseth that a prolonged, large-scale operation there weakens our ability to confront threats elsewhere, including the homeland. Have you heard those? DONALD TRUMP: Well, number one, we have nothing else in mind. Number two, we're very respected. Nobody else would be crazy enough to do it. Number three, we have so much ammunition and munitions, as they like to call it, all over the world that we can always take from if we want. And this is a relatively little war for us. This is not a big war. You know where the money went was Ukraine. The money was really taken out - the ammunition, if you talk about low, we have tremendous amounts, unlimited amounts of mid-grade and older stuff that's also very powerful. Unlimited amounts. We're only talking about what we call the elite - the elite stuff - and even that, we're in very good shape. But we can always take from other sources. But I don't think we're going to need it because nobody's going to mess with us. Trump is meanwhile said to be considering a Hegseth-backed CENTCOM plan for periodic strikes on Iranian radar, air-defense and anti-ship missile sites - particularly in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A little Russian media trolling... US stockpiles 'DEPLETED' in Europe and Asia due to Iran war â Wall Street Journal Patriot and ATACMS missiles reportedly at 'CRITICAL' levels pic.twitter.com/m3DAX9TW1h â RT Intl (@RT_on_X) August 29, 2026 One official told Axios this would be akin to "mowing the grass" from time to time (borrowing Israel's disturbing phrase related to Gaza) - but clearly this is on an indefinite timeline, setting up for potential 'forever war'. And this is where the missile arsenal would likely come up short, according to some estimates. Tyler Durden Tue, 09/01/2026 - 18:50
Trump Mentions Tapping The 'Older Stuff' While Dismissing Reports Of Missile Shortages The below Trump exchange with reporters in the Oval Office on Monday seems a tacit admission from the Commander-in-Chief that yes, the United States is running out of standoff muniâŚ
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U.S. Central Command stated that it conducted strikes on over 80 military sites along Iran's southern coast on July 7, 2026, in response to reported multi-vessel maritime attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. While the United States claims the operations targeted anti-ship missile and radar systems, independent verification of the specific scale, nature, and casualties of the campaign remains unavailable.
The U.S. military has reportedly struck two Iranian government tankers and approximately 100 other targets, following a reported presidential approval of a âtanker for tankerâ policy aimed at deterring Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. While U.
S. officials claim that recent Iranian strikes on U.S. assets failed, Iranâs Foreign Ministry has alleged that a U.S. strike on a wedding in Kuhestak killed or injured more than 50 civilians, a claim that the White House has not yet commented on.
LAEM CHABANG, Thailand â The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier arrived Wednesday at a port in eastern Thailand, where thousands of U.S. sailors and Marines are disembarking for the first time in more than 280 days after a record-setting deployment in the Middle East.
The toll of the more than nine-month deployment, most of it spent supporting military operations in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, was visible on the carrier as it pulled into Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi province. Paint has worn off and the metal underneath is rusted on the 1,092-foot warship, which is one of the largest in the world.
The Lincoln is in Thailand for a four-day ârest and relaxationâ stop on its way home to San Diego after having spent weeks in the headlines as the lengthy deployment raised concerns about supply shortages and the effect on sailorsâ mental health. The U.
S. Navy confirmed the shipâs arrival in a statement, saying the Lincoln strike group arrived in Laem Chabang while the destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. docked in nearby Sriracha and the guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls went to Map Ta Phut in neighboring Rayong province.
The Navy said it was the Lincolnâs first full port stop after 286 days at sea since the deployment began in November. Thai police crackdown on sex workers âOur arrival in Laem Chabang provides a well-deserved opportunity for our sailors and Marines to rest and recharge,â said Rear Adm.
Robert E. Loughran, commander of Carrier Strike Group 3. âIt also underscores the strong and enduring partnership and alliance between the United States and Thailand.â Service members could be seen working aboard the deck of the Lincoln as loudspeakers played announcements about the process for disembarkation.
âIâm excited, as excited as you are,â a commanding officer could be heard saying over loudspeaker. About 5,000 sailors and Marines are expected to hit the streets of Pattaya, a nearby coastal resort city that is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand.
Each service member will get three âliberty daysâ and one day of duty aboard the ship, a U.S. military official said. Locals in tourism-dependent Pattaya have eagerly awaited the arrival of the Lincoln, which pulled into sight from the shore after sunrise before it made a wide turn and harbored itself at a major cargo terminal.
Officials in Pattaya, where international tourist arrivals have dropped because of travel disruptions and soaring fuel prices stemming from the conflict in the Middle East, say the visit is expected to inject about $3 million into the local economy.
Authorities have stepped up security, with heightened police patrols and checks along the roads. Businesses here are also trying to woo the sailors, with some putting up banners to welcome them. Wichai Yuankham, 35, a factory worker who came to watch the ships arrive, said the naval visit was a welcome boost to the local economy.
âI am just excited to see the destroyer docking,â he said. âThis is my first time seeing the destroyer, and I feel good seeing it, and we can boast to our neighboring countries about this.
US military officials stated that strikes on Iranian targets were conducted in response to reported attempts by Tehran to attack commercial shipping and US personnel in the Strait of Hormuz. While Iranian semi-official media reported retaliatory missile and drone launches, local officials cited claims that one US strike hit a residence, causing casualties, though these specific details remain under verification.