Trump said the armaments were meant to help anti-government protesters fight back against the authorities.

"We sent guns, a lot of guns, they were supposed to go to the people so they could fight back against these thugs," Trump told reporters while at a White House Easter event.

"You know what happened? The people that they sent them to kept them," Trump went on, adding: "So I'm very upset with a certain group of people, and they're going to pay a big price for that."

Trump did not give details about who he was accusing of taking the US weapons.

However, on Sunday, Trump was quoted as saying by a Fox News reporter that he blamed Kurdish intermediaries for having taken weapons destined for Iranian dissidents.