In a recent interview, President Joe Biden’s comments regarding a shortage of 155 mm artillery ammunition rounds in the United States have sparked outrage and questions of competency from conservatives on social media. The president defended his administration’s decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine as a temporary measure until more munitions are produced.
During the interview aired on Sunday morning, Biden acknowledged the shortage, stating, “This is a war relating to munitions. And they’re running out of that ammunition, and we’re low on it.” However, his remarks raised concerns among conservative pundits and experts who questioned the wisdom of publicly announcing the shortage, potentially alerting adversaries to America’s vulnerability.
Conservative political operative Logan Dobson expressed his astonishment, stating, “Love when the president of America goes on CNN to tell everyone we’re low on ammo.” Similarly, conservative communicator Steve Guest took to Twitter, labeling Biden a “moron” and expressing concern over China and other adversaries gaining insights from the president’s admission.
Byron York of the Washington Examiner noted the lack of clarity in Biden’s statement, suggesting that it was affecting the country’s readiness to defend itself. He wrote, “Seems obvious this is affecting US readiness to defend itself.”
Conservative critics also raised questions about the timing and implications of Biden’s decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine. Political commentator Ian Miles Cheong expressed skepticism about the feasibility of continued support for Ukraine’s military as the conflict intensifies, following Biden’s announcement.
Even Robert Kennedy Jr., who ran against Biden in the Democratic presidential race, criticized the president for approving the shipment of cluster munitions to Ukraine. Kennedy referred to previous statements made by the White House, calling the use of cluster bombs a “war crime.”
In response to the backlash, a White House official attempted to clarify the situation, emphasizing that the United States itself was not running out of ammunition. The official explained that the military maintains specific reserves of weapons systems and ammunition for contingencies or military conflicts, and everything sent to Ukraine is in excess of those requirements.
The official defended the decision to authorize the shipment of cluster munitions to Ukraine, citing the need to ensure Ukraine is not left defenseless while waiting for domestic production to increase substantially. They reassured that the United States and its allies and partners are actively working to ramp up ammunition production.
Joe Biden broadcasting to the world that the US is low on 155mm shells.
Moron. Does Biden not care that our adversaries in China are listening? https://t.co/X8M9k617CU
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) July 8, 2023
As conservatives voice their concerns about the nation’s ammunition shortage and the implications of Biden’s comments, the White House attempts to clarify the situation, emphasizing the commitment to Ukraine’s defense and the ongoing efforts to bolster domestic ammunition production.
