Pentagon chief dismisses senator’s claims of US ammo shortage

11 May 2026 12:52

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has rejected claims by Democratic Senator Mark Kelly that the war with Iran significantly depleted US ammunition stockpiles, accusing the lawmaker of disclosing classified information.

Responding to Kelly’s interview with CBS, Hegseth criticised the retired Navy captain in a post on social media.

“‘Captain’ Mark Kelly strikes again,” Hegseth wrote. “Now he’s blabbing on TV (falsely & dumbly) about a CLASSIFIED Pentagon briefing he received. Did he violate his oath…again? Department of War legal counsel will review.”

Earlier, Kelly rebuked President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defence budget as “outrageous”, warning that the administration was seeking nearly double the level of military spending compared with five years ago.

Speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation”, Kelly said parts of the proposal — including the planned “Golden Dome” space-based missile defence shield — were unlikely to work despite requiring massive funding.

The Arizona Democrat also voiced concern over US munitions stockpiles following the war with Iran, saying Pentagon briefings showed the military had gone “deep” into critical weapons reserves.

“We’ve expended a lot of munitions, and that means the American people are less safe,” Kelly said, warning the depletion could weaken US readiness for future conflicts, including a potential confrontation with China.

By Aghakazim Guliyev

Caliber.Az

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