Vice President JD Vance initially denied reports that he holds concerns about the impact of the conflict with Iran on U.S. weapons stockpiles, only to confirm moments later that he does harbor such concerns. Speaking to Fox News host Will Cain on Wednesday, Vance dismissed The Atlantic's reporting before appearing to validate its central claim.
Vance criticized the article for attributing views to him that he said he had never expressed. He argued that the piece relied on unnamed "advisers" who could be anyone from daily staffers to people he had met once. "Nobody who actually knows what I think, nobody who's close to me was speaking to that reporter," he stated, insisting the story misrepresented his position.
Yet when directly asked whether he was concerned about U.S. missile stockpiles, Vance shifted his stance. "To answer your question, Will, of course I'm concerned about readiness, because that's my job to be concerned," he said. He characterized his inquiries into weapons inventory as part of his regular duties, stating it was his responsibility to ask questions and ensure the administration stayed on top of every issue.
National security experts have reported that U.S. strikes on Iran have exhausted more than half of the military's prewar inventory of key munitions over the past two months, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. These same stockpiles would be needed to support potential military operations in other theaters, including defending Taiwan against China, South Korea against North Korea, or Europe against Russia.
Despite evidence of significant munitions depletion, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine have publicly characterized U.S. weapons stockpiles as robust. According to The Atlantic, Hegseth has also overstated damage assessments of Iran's military compared to intelligence findings.
Vance expressed confidence in both officials, saying they are "doing an amazing job" in Iran. A White House official characterized Vance as someone who "asks a lot of probing questions about our strategic planning," suggesting his inquiries are standard practice within the national security team. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated that Hegseth and Vance "share an outstanding working relationship grounded in deep mutual respect and alignment."
