Trump furious over reports of disagreements with Hegseth
The president denies the row over missile stocks: ‘It’s not true that we’ve run out.’ According to the Washington Post, there was a heated exchange with the Defence Secretary
From New York Luca Veronese
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‘The United States has vast quantities of ammunition; it is not true that we have run out’ and ‘there was no clash with the Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth’. Donald Trump has attacked the Washington Post and the American media, which in recent days had reported on the difficulties faced by US forces in the war in Iran and the tensions within the administration.
With the war now in its sixth month, the United States has had to scale back its objectives and is now focusing first and foremost on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, leaving issues such as Iran’s nuclear programme to be dealt with in subsequent negotiations. There is anticipation for the resumption of shipping, which is expected to follow the broad agreement reached between Iran and Oman on Wednesday evening. On Wednesday night, speaking from Las Vegas, Trump had referred to ‘an imminent agreement’. However, Tehran made it clear again yesterday that the United States is not a party to the agreement and that ‘the mapping of routes agreed with Oman does not entail the full reopening of the Strait’.
A further obstacle to the reopening of sea routes and to peace is also posed by the Houthis, the Iranian-backed Yemeni militia which yesterday attacked the forces of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, fuelling fears that the war between the United States, Israel and Iran could escalate into a regional conflict.
Yesterday, Trump once again claimed that ‘Iran wants a deal’ and that he is prepared to order a massive attack, even though he would prefer not to. He then resorted to some of his usual hyperbole to reassure everyone about the rifts within the administration: “I am extremely pleased with the work Pete Hegseth is doing,” he stated on social media, before going on to praise American industry: ‘We have huge quantities of ammunition, especially of certain types: large quantities are being produced and supplied as and when needed. Our defence companies,’ he said, ‘are building more factories than at any other time in our country’s history.’
The president’s tone grew harsher as he directed his anger at ‘those who leaked these false statements’, going so far as to issue direct threats against the media and their confidential sources: ‘They are traitors,’ he said, ‘and they will be tracked down and face long prison sentences!’
