During an interview with ABC News Sunday, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby amplified the fact that the United States and its western allies are facing a weapons shortage due to billions in transfers to Ukraine.
"This is literally a gun fight. They're running out of inventory," Kirby said. "We are trying to ramp up our production of the kind of artillery shells that they're using most. But that production rate is still not where we wanted it to be."
WH's John Kirby defends the Biden administration's decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine despite risk to civilians—and numerous other countries forbidding their use.
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) July 9, 2023
"This is literally a gun fight...They're running out of inventory." https://t.co/qOeKkGHjj9 pic.twitter.com/Vv5hYiEUWF
Kirby's statement came after President Joe Biden made the admission during an interview with CNN over the weekend and justified sending cluster bombs, which are banned in hundreds of countries, to Ukraine due to the weapons shortage.
Joe Biden broadcasting to the world that the US is low on 155mm shells.
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) July 8, 2023
Moron. Does Biden not care that our adversaries in China are listening? https://t.co/X8M9k617CU
The reality of low stockpiles have lawmakers concerned about U.S. weapons production and manufacturing, which has been outsourced to China.
The fact that we do not have enough conventional artillery to send Ukraine should be a wake up call. Most of the top 15 steel producers now are Chinese & we don’t have a single one. The US urgently needs a strategy to become a manufacturing superpower. https://t.co/JIMSYA1gC8
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) July 9, 2023
Ro is absolutely right. We need to secure our supply chains and stop relying on China. https://t.co/W0yansL4o7
— Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) July 9, 2023