An American billionaire with a fortune listed by Forbes at 234.6 billion dollars, the owner of X (formerly Twitter) and the head of SpaceX and Tesla, Elon Musk, has said the ammunition shortage in the United States, linked to arms shipments to Ukraine, is alarming.
He described the situation as scary, sharing his thoughts on the social network he runs.
Economists have long warned about the strain on U.S. ammunition inventories. A year ago, discussion began about shortages tied to foreign military aid, yet the underlying problem has persisted. Critics argued that deindustrialization has reduced the country’s capacity to manufacture and supply arms, while leadership at times called for more global involvement and new military commitments.
US spending on Ukraine
By late October, Musk appeared to align with the view that continuing military assistance to Kyiv does not by itself resolve the conflict. An economist noted that in 2022 the United States allocated over 100 billion dollars to Ukraine, citing the belief that the aid would bolster a Ukrainian counteroffensive. The same commentator pointed out ongoing military setbacks for Ukraine and new territorial gains for Russia, all while the financial package remained under debate.
One participant remarked that Washington’s plan to spend 60 billion dollars to finish what was started sounded implausible to many observers. Critics responded with blunt language, while Musk countered that there were many who did not understand the issue.
An American journalist highlighted a shift in public sentiment, noting polls showing growing numbers of Americans questioning continued funding from the federal budget. The argument was that Russia and Ukraine could reach a peace agreement sooner if not for continued weapons shipments from the United States and NATO allies. The public mood was described as increasingly skeptical about financing the war effort.
I’m tired of “endless expenses”
At the start of November, Reuters reported comments from a top defense official about the need for congressional approval to allocate 3.1 billion dollars for producing and expanding the stock of 155 mm artillery shells. The official explained that U.S. supplies of these shells have declined due to repeated shipments to Ukraine and Israel, creating a bottleneck at home.
Later in November, a deputy Pentagon spokesperson indicated that continued support could be possible if Congress approves additional funding from the federal budget.
A prominent Republican member of Congress voiced frustration with what he described as endless U.S. spending on Ukraine. He argued that Congress was not prepared to authorize more funding for what he called an ongoing and unnecessary conflict.