In the early days of President Trump’s administration, Defense Secretary Pete Hegses inadvertently halted military aid to Ukraine, according to a source close to the situation. This pause came after an oral order from Hegses, which was reported by Reuters, preventing 11 U.S. military cargo planes from delivering artillery and ammunition to Eastern Europe.
The directive followed a meeting on January 30 that included Trump, Hegses, and the national security chief, during which the importance of supporting Kyiv was discussed. However, Trump did not provide clear instructions on how to proceed with that support.
Sources indicated that Hegses misunderstood the president’s intentions, leading other officials to step in and quickly rectify the issue, ensuring a swift reallocation of the $2.2 million in aid.
By February 5, flights from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware were back on track, aiming to reach Ukraine with the needed supplies.
The Pentagon has sought comments from the White House regarding this matter.
“Negotiating the resolution of the Russian-Ukraine conflict is a complex and ever-changing situation. We won’t disclose all the discussions among management throughout this process,” White House press director Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to Reuters. “Ultimately, the current state of the war is closer to resolution than when Trump first took office.”
This story is still developing. Please stay tuned for updates.
