US President Donald Trump declared that America possesses a “virtually unlimited supply” of medium-grade munitions and can fight wars “forever”. Not even 24 hours later, Trump repeated his “forever” war claim but then went on to add that defence companies are under emergency orders to ramp up weapons production
The apparent contradiction has come into sharper focus as the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran — dubbed “Operation Epic Fury” — entered its fourth day.
‘VIRTUALLY UNLIMITED’ BUT NOT ENOUGH?
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote that US munitions stockpiles at the “medium and upper medium grade” have “never been higher or better,” claiming wars can be fought “forever” using those supplies.
“The United States is stocked, and ready to win, big!!!” he added, according to Reuters.
However, in an interview with Politico, Trump also revealed that US defence companies are operating under “emergency orders” to rapidly build more weapons.
“The defence companies are on a rapid tear to build the various things we need,” Trump told Politico. “They’re under emergency orders. We’re making it fast.”
If supplies are unlimited, then why is there urgency behind weapons’ build-up?
Concerns about US munitions depth have also surfaced within the military establishment. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon’s top general warned President Donald Trump about risks to America’s weapons stockpiles while weighing a prolonged campaign against Iran.
The report said repeated conflicts in the Middle East have been eating into US air-defence supplies, with particular pressure on interceptor systems used to blunt Iranian missile and drone attacks. Officials and analysts told the WSJ that the United States is racing to degrade Iran’s strike capability before its own interceptor inventories come under further strain.
“One of the challenges is you can deplete these really quickly We’re using them faster than we can replace them,” Kelly Grieco of the Stimson Centre told the publication.
The WSJ added that the Pentagon is already moving to replenish stocks of key systems such as THAAD, Patriot and Standard Missile interceptors, while also expending Tomahawk cruise missiles at a high operational tempo.
IRAN RUNNING OUT OF LAUNCHERS?
In a phone interview with Politico, Trump claimed Iran’s retaliatory capacity is weakening. “They’re running out and they’re running out of areas to shoot them,” Trump said. “They’re running out of launchers.”
However, Politico noted that this assertion had not been mentioned during a Pentagon briefing or by other administration officials.
WHAT WEAPONS US USED?
According to CNN and statements from US Central Command (CENTCOM), the US has deployed one of its largest Middle East force buildups in decades.
Key assets used so far include:
B-2 Stealth Bombers: The billion-dollar B-2 Spirit bombers struck Iranian ballistic missile facilities using 2,000-pound bombs. In previous missions, B-2s have used 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs against Iranian nuclear sites, CNN report mentioned.
Aircraft Carriers and Warships: Two aircraft carriers, USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R Ford, were positioned in the region when strikes began.
Guided-missile destroyers launched Tomahawk missiles, while F-16s, F/A-18s, F-22s and F-35s conducted air operations.
LUCAS Drones: The Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones — modeled after Iran’s Shahed-136 drones — were used in combat for the first time, according to CENTCOM.
HIMARS Rocket Systems: The Army’s M-142 HIMARS mobile rocket systems have also fired long-range munitions during the campaign, as per CNN report.
Other assets include MQ-9 Reaper drones, RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, EA-18G electronic warfare jets, AWACS surveillance aircraft, Patriot and THAAD missile defense systems, and aerial refuelling tankers, the report mentioned.
POLITICAL RISK AT HOME
Trump, who campaigned on avoiding new wars and frequently criticised US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, now finds himself presiding over an open-ended military campaign in Iran.
While most Republicans have backed the strikes, some MAGA-aligned influencers have voiced concerns about another prolonged conflict.
Meanwhile, the President has even suggested openness to working with a reconfigured Iranian leadership if one emerges.
“Not too late,” Trump told Politico when asked whether he would engage a new Iranian government. “New ones are emerging. A lot of people want the job.”
TRUMP’S SHIFTING TIMELINE
Trump has offered varying projections about the duration of the war. On Sunday, he suggested the campaign could last four to five weeks. On Monday, he told CNN he hoped it would not last long and said the US was “ahead of schedule.”
Later at a Medal of Honour ceremony, he reiterated the four-to-five-week estimate but added the US has the capability “to go far longer than that”.
In a separate CNN interview, Trump warned: “The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon.”
Yet he has not delivered a formal televised address to the nation — a customary step during major military conflicts, as per the Reuters report.
BUT WHY DID US GET INVOLVED?
Speaking in the Oval Office during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump said he ordered the attack because “I had a feeling” Iran would strike the United States as nuclear negotiations stalled.
Hours before, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had offered a slightly different justification. Rubio and House Speaker Mike Johnson said Israel was prepared to strike Iran regardless, implying the US would have been drawn into the conflict anyway.
Rubio has taken a hard line on the campaign’s continuation. “The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now,” Rubio said on Capitol Hill. “We will do this as long as it takes to achieve those objectives.”
THE CENTRAL QUESTION
Trump’s messaging — unlimited weapons, but rapid production; a short war, but readiness for a long one; Iran weakening, yet preparing for “the big one” — reflects a strategy still evolving in real time.
As Iran continues missile and drone strikes across the region and US interceptors are reportedly under strain, the administration faces mounting scrutiny. If the United States truly has unlimited munitions to fight wars “forever,” then why the rush to build more?
