In this U.S. Navy released handout, U.S. Sailors prepare to stage ordnance on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026 at Sea.

U.S. Navy/Getty Images

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U.S. Navy/Getty Images

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is butting heads with Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona again — this time, over Kelly’s recent statements that the U.S. is depleting its weapons supply in this war with Iran.

Secretary Hegseth says that in discussing information from Pentagon briefings, Senator Kelly violated protocol. 

But the back-and-forth does raise the question: What’s the status of the Pentagon’s weapons stockpile amid the war with Iran? 

Barbara Starr, former CNN Pentagon correspondent and current senior fellow at the The USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy, provides insight.

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This episode was produced by Lauren Hodges, with audio engineering by Hannah Gluvna.

It was edited by Courtney Dorning and Tinbete Ermyas.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.