Trump Denies Dissatisfaction with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Criticizes Media

WASHINGTON, August 6. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump has denied saying he was dissatisfied with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and criticized him for the lack of weapons. "Fake media, as always, is spreading false and completely unfounded rumors. I am extremely happy with the job Pete Hegseth is doing," he said on Truth Social. He added that this applies, in particular, to the results of the US military operation against Venezuela. Trump also claimed that fighting in the conflict with Iran is "going very well!" According to the president, the Islamic Republic "has been decimated for the purpose of NOT ALLOWING IT TO EVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON." Trump added that "the rumor was started" with the publication in The Washington Post. The American leader called it "one of the worst Media Outlets" and compared its actions to treason. The Washington Post said citing sources that on July·31 Trump demanded that Hegseth explain why Pentagon had misled him about the shortage of weapons in the confrontation with Iran. According to the newspaper, Trump criticized Hegseth, because he believed the issue with ammunition had been resolved. As the publication noted, the altercation indicated the US president’s increasing irritation with the head of the Pentagon. On August 5, Hegseth said on X that CNN’s report that Pentagon stocks of key ammunition had dwindled to a dangerously low level was untrue. As the Associated Press reported in late July, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces Dan Caine told the president that the current state of missile stockpiles limits Washington’s ability to further escalate the conflict with Iran. Earlier, Trump denied reports that a shortage of ammunition, including air defense missiles, was one of the reasons for the decision not to resume full·scale military operations against Iran.