Despite his public protestations of control and calm, Donald Trump is secretly red-faced about how his war on Iran is unfolding.
That’s according to insiders who spoke to NBC News and painted a picture of a president increasingly stressed by dwindling weapons stockpiles. He has reportedly spun into a fury at close aides over the matter, the people familiar with the matter told the aforementioned title.
Trump has tried to convince the public that negotiations are going swimmingly and an end to the war is nigh. However, an Iranian attack on a military helicopter earlier this week ruffled the president’s feathers, revealing his hawkish side. “We’re going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard,” Trump said Wednesday from the Oval Office. “We hit them hard yesterday, and we’re going to hit them again hard today.”
That terse tone is expected to be unloaded onto the leaders of defense companies invited to a meeting in the White House, scheduled for later this week, according to the sources. They fear the gathering is “going to be ugly.”
Industry insiders say that the Pentagon has only “framework agreements” for new weaponry. Stocks took a beating due to the Russo-Ukrainian war and, of course, Trump’s foray into the Middle East.
The White House denies the meeting is taking place, but NBC News’s sources say that seven or so weapons executives could be about to bear the brunt of Trump’s anger regarding waning stocks.
Stephen Feinberg, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s deputy, is also expected to attend, two of the people claimed. Anna Kelly, the White House spokesperson, said in a statement that the U.S. has more than enough weapons to feed Operation Epic Fury “and beyond.”
“Even still, the President has urged our defense contractors to constantly produce more made-in-America weapons,” she added.
Trump’s wishes were buoyed by a House Appropriations Committee proposal that included a provision for defense spending of more than $1 trillion.
The Pentagon tried to project an image of control in a statement given to NBC News. “America’s military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President’s choosing,” Sean Parnell, chief Pentagon spokesman, said.
“We have executed multiple successful operations across combatant commands while ensuring the U.S. military possesses a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and our interests.”
The White House has been approached for comment.
