Fact Check: Is the US depleting a more powerful weapon than its missiles?
WASHINGTON, DC: The US-Iran war features intense airstrikes by US and Israeli forces that have hit over 11,000 Iranian military, nuclear, missile, and infrastructure targets, significantly degrading Iran's capabilities, navy, air defenses, and leadership.
Meanwhile, Iran has retaliated with missile attacks on Israel, US bases in the Gulf, and regional targets, while Houthis have joined by striking Israel.
Amid this, a report emerged claiming that the US is depleting a more powerful weapon than its missiles. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.
Claim: US is depleting a more powerful weapon than its missiles
Writer Max Hastings came up with an article on Bloomberg on Sunday, March 29, where he mentioned that America is depleting a far more powerful long-term weapon - global trust in the truthfulness of what the US says.
In his piece, he mentioned that President Donald Trump’s recent behavior, such as attacks on independent media, is destroying America’s historic reputation for credibility, adding that it is something far more valuable than military hardware.
Hastings contrasted his piece with WWII-era Britain and America, where independent outlets like the BBC built enormous soft power and moral authority by telling the truth, even when governments didn’t like it.
Moreover, the writer also warned that by behaving like authoritarian regimes, the US is eroding its alliances, global standing, and future influence.
He also mentioned that in the end, truth is a strategic weapon, and this administration is "wantonly breaking" it, making America weaker in the long run, even if it wins the shooting war.
The editorial is a strong critique of the POTUS's approach to information and credibility during the Iran conflict.
Fact Check: Partially True, Factually grounded but opinionated
The claims made by Max Hastings is partially true and partially opinionated. President Trump has often blamed Iran for the US Tomahawk missile strike on the Iranian girls’ school that killed around 165–175 people, mostly children.
Multiple investigations, video evidence, and Pentagon findings confirm it was a US strike, likely due to outdated intelligence, not Iranian munitions. Trump’s claim that Iran has Tomahawks has been widely debunked.
However, the claim that this is "more powerful" than US missiles is a subjective opinion, not a provable fact. The US military superiority remains overwhelming in this conflict. Long-term soft power damage is plausible but hard to quantify yet.
