Senior officials raised alarms during a White House meeting about the toll the Iran conflict is taking on America’s military stockpiles, according to new reporting.
CNN’s Zachary Cohen reported that Gen. Dan Caine and Vice President JD Vance delivered blunt warnings during the discussion Friday, with Caine specifically flagging concerns about depleted supplies of critical munitions — including Patriot missile interceptors and Tomahawk missiles.
“I’m told that both Vance and Caine laid out some hard truths for the president during this discussion,” Cohen said, “and Caine, in particular, raised this concern about the U.S. stockpile of critical munitions.”
These systems not only protect U.S. military installations around the world but are also used by Gulf partners who have been helping mediate between Washington and Tehran, Cohen said. Caine reportedly warned that continuing or expanding the campaign would further drain these stockpiles in ways that could compromise America’s readiness for a future conflict, particularly against a major power like China or Russia.
The Trump administration has pushed back forcefully on the idea that military readiness is at risk. U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz insisted the U.S. military has everything it needs to sustain the current campaign, saying the claim had been verified thoroughly, and suggested that those leaking such concerns should face legal consequences.
Still, Cohen said the underlying worry isn’t about the present moment but about long-term readiness, saying officials are concerned that a prolonged Iran campaign could leave the U.S. underprepared if a separate, larger conflict were to emerge later.
Beyond the stockpile issue, Cohen reported that advisers raised additional concerns during the meeting about the risks of expanding combat operations. Officials reportedly discussed the potential for major civilian casualties if the U.S. resumed full-scale strikes, particularly given Trump’s suggestion that targets could include civilian infrastructure like bridges and power plants.
Advisers also warned that further escalation could prompt Iranian retaliation against Gulf energy infrastructure and desalination plants — a scenario neither the U.S. nor its regional partners want to see unfold.
Together, the warnings paint a picture of an administration weighing the military and diplomatic risks of deeper involvement, even as it publicly insists the current campaign remains fully sustainable.
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