President Donald Trump created an awkward moment with a top Cabinet secretary as he announced a major policy change on the Ukraine-Russia war.
Trump’s stunning U-turn came at an evening meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and top members of his security team at the White House on Monday.
The president said that the U.S. will ‘have to’ once again send powerful weapons to Ukraine, despite deciding to pause shipments one week prior.
It created an uncomfortable moment as he sat next to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth who is credited with being behind the decision to stop the military aid.
Hegseth could be seen glancing at Trump and nodding repeatedly while the president spoke about Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukraine.
Also making noticeable gestures was CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who was seated next to Hegseth.
Ratcliffe glanced quickly in Trump’s direction, raised an eyebrow, then looked upward while taking a large breath.
And Trump made an already awkward moment worse as taunted CNN’s Kaitlan Collins one day later during a Cabinet meeting – claiming he was unaware of who ordered the pause.
Hegseth could be seen glancing at Trump and nodding repeatedly while the president spoke about Russia ‘s ongoing attacks on Ukraine
President Donald Trump announced resumed weapons shipments to Ukraine, after his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (r) imposed a pause
‘I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?’ Trump replied when asked who ordered the weapons halt, again seated directly next to Hegseth.
Trump’s reversal returns the U.S. to the posture of sending lethal weaponry to its beleaguered ally as it continues to defend itself against Putin’s Russia.
It came just hours after the White House defended what it called a ‘standard pause’ to review the state of U.S. stockpiles, even admit Russia’s relentless and ongoing attacks.
‘We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves,’ said Trump.
‘They’re getting hit very hard. Now, they’re getting hit very hard. We’re going to have to send more weapons, your defensive weapons, primarily, but they’re getting hit very, very hard. So many people are dying in that mess,’ he went on.
NBC reported on July 4 that the Pentagon held up a shipment of weapons for Ukraine for a week amid concerns about the capacity of U.S. stockpiles.
It said the move blindsided lawmakers, allies, and officials in Kiev and was a ‘unilateral step’ by Hegseth.
Trump, who held an angry Oval Office argument with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February where Vice President JD Vance accused Zelensky of not being thankful, on Monday called the war a ‘horrible, horrible thing.’
‘And I’m not happy with President Putin at all,’ he said.
Just hours before Trump announced the U.S. would be sending weapons, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had dismissed a question about whether Trump had ordered the change or if the Pentagon did it without his approval.
‘This was a standard review by the Pentagon of all weapons and all aid and all support that the United States is providing,’ he said, adding that it applied to regions around the world.
‘When the Secretary of Defense took office, he directed the Pentagon to conduct this review to ensure that everything that’s going out the door aligns with America’s interests,’ she said. ‘So it’s a pause to review, to ensure that everything the Pentagon is pushing out there is in the best interest of our military and our men and women.’
Trump said he was disappointed in his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He announced a sudden U-turn on military aid to Ukraine Monday
The aftermath of a Russian combined aerial assault on an apartment building, Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 4
The Pentagon confirmed the change, saying at Trump’s direction the DOD ‘is sending additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace and ensure the killing stops,’ spokesman Sean Parnell said.
Read More
Rubio targeted in terrifying security breach as Trump's inner circle cracks wide open
During the NATO summit, Trump fielded a question from Ukrainian Myroslava Petsa of the BBC, who asked if the US would sell Patriot missile defenses that Ukraine is using to defend against repeated Russian drone and missile attacks. Trump called it ‘rough stuff.’
The Telegraph reported Monday that Ukraine would get a third of the Patriot defense interceptors it was seeking.
Trump had shared his frustration after his last Putin call, telling reporters: ‘I didn’t make any progress with him at all.’
On Friday, shortly after they spoke, Russia unleashed its largest drone attack of the war on Kiev.
Celebrating the news of the shipment was House Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas. ‘Glad to see this news. Vladimir Putin is a thug who feigns an interest in peace, then turns around and bombs entire cities. He must be stopped before his aggression extends beyond Ukraine. Thank you, @potus, for projecting peace through strength in every corner of the globe!’ McCaul posted on X.
Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blasted ‘restrainers’ in the administration and issued a statement attacking the ‘strategic incoherence of underfunding our military and restricting lethal assistance to partners like Ukraine.’
‘This time, the President will need to reject calls from the isolationists and restrainers within his Administration to limit these deliveries to defensive weapons. And he should disregard those at DoD who invoke munitions shortages to block aid while refusing to invest seriously in expanding munitions production,’ he said.
The statement tore into ‘self-indulgent policymaking of restrainers’ that he said ‘has so often required the President to clean up his staff’s messes.’