Ben Shapiro Rips Into Trump Admin Officials Leaking About Missile Shortages: ‘You’re Helping Iran’

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Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro warned that Trump administration officials who are leaking to The New York Times, CNN, Axios, and other outlets about the Pentagon running out of missile defense interceptors are “helping Iran” and need to be found and prosecuted.

Shapiro posted to social media on Monday, following a series of reports from the outlets he named.

The New York Times reported on Monday, for example, that Trump paused the latest strikes against Iran in part due to the interceptor shortage:

President Trump decided last week to put off plans to escalate the U.S. assault on Iran, at least for now, according to U.S. officials. Mr. Trump and his aides were motivated in part by dwindling stockpiles of interceptors to shoot down Iranian missiles, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters.

“When you’re leaking (falsely, according to President Trump) to CNN and the NYT and Barak Ravid that we’re short on interceptors, you’re helping Iran. Trump must track down and fire the leakers in his administration who continue to undermine his pursuit of America’s interests,” Shapiro warned.

“Even if you’re just looking for a better negotiated offramp here, leaking that America doesn’t have the military arsenal to keep up the fight destroys all negotiating position. Fire the leakers today. Anyone who opposes that obvious position gives away the game,” he concluded.

Trump has long claimed that the U.S. is not facing a missile shortage as the war has continued well past his stated 4-week goal. On Monday, during an Air Force One gaggle, Trump jabbed his predecessor and claimed that then-President Joe Biden gave away too many munitions to Ukraine.

CNN’s Aaron Blake pointed out the Trump administration’s mixed messaging on the missile shortage and the president’s indirect acknowledgement of the issue: “On the one hand, it has claimed the US has more than enough munitions — even that Trump has vastly increased the munitions and that the number is ‘unlimited.’ On the other, it has blamed the Biden administration for depleting the stockpiles and asked for a ton of money to help replenish them, while warning about shortfalls if Congress fails to provide it.”

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