President Donald Trump said Monday that while the United States maintains a substantial supply of military weapons and ammunition, he wishes the nation’s stockpile were larger, arguing that former President Joe Biden sent significant quantities of military equipment to Ukraine.
Trump made the remarks aboard Air Force One after being asked whether he was concerned about the U.S. weapons inventory as the conflict involving Iran continues. The question appeared to come from ABC News reporter Rachel Scott.
The president said he is not concerned about the nation’s current military readiness but acknowledged that he would prefer to have a larger reserve of certain weapons.
“We have a lot of ammunition, different types. You know, Biden gave a lot to Ukraine, so we’re building that up. But we have a lot,” Trump said.
He added that the United States possesses large quantities of what he described as “mid-level” military equipment.
“We have a lot of the mid-level stuff, too, I mean more than we could ever use no matter what,” Trump said. “But we have a lot.”
Even so, the president said he believes the stockpile would be stronger had fewer weapons been transferred overseas during the previous administration.
“I’d like to have more, to be honest, but so much was given to Ukraine by Biden,” he said.
Trump also reflected on the condition of the military inventory when he left office, arguing that the stockpile was significantly larger at that time.
“When I left, the cupboards were full,” Trump said.
He then claimed that large amounts of military equipment were later provided to Ukraine.
“As soon as I left, they gave a lot of it to Ukraine,” Trump said. “I mean, numbers that nobody’s ever seen before.”
Despite those concerns, Trump said his administration is moving aggressively to replenish and expand the nation’s weapons inventory.
According to the president, efforts to rebuild the stockpile are progressing rapidly, with defense manufacturers expanding production capacity.
“We’re building that up very rapidly,” Trump said.
He also touted increased manufacturing by defense contractors, saying companies are constructing multiple new facilities to boost weapons production for the U.S. military.
Trump maintained that the United States remains in a strong position overall but acknowledged that he would like to see larger supplies of more advanced military systems.
“We’re in very good shape, but for some of the more sophisticated stuff, we’d certainly like to have more,” Trump said. “Biden gave a lot of it away.”
The president’s comments come just weeks after he announced that the United States would show Ukraine how to build what he described as “elite” military weapons, including the MM-104 Patriot missile defense system.
Trump made that announcement during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a NATO summit in Turkey.
Monday’s exchange with reporters also followed recent remarks Trump made to Axios regarding the ongoing tensions with Iran.
According to the report, Trump said he is prepared to pursue “strong military action” against Iran if renewed peace negotiations fail to produce an agreement.
While discussing the nation’s military capabilities aboard Air Force One, Trump emphasized that the United States continues to possess significant reserves of weapons and ammunition, while arguing that his administration is working to strengthen the stockpile by increasing domestic production and replenishing supplies.
