US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unexpectedly canceled military aid to Ukraine shortly after taking office, a decision that took many officials by surprise. This pause in support occurred about a week after Hegseth was sworn in as President Donald Trump’s defense chief.
According to reports, the halt led to the suspension of 11 military flights from US bases in Delaware and Qatar. These flights were carrying artillery shells and other weapons intended for Ukraine, which was in the midst of a critical struggle against Russian forces in the eastern region of the country.
The situation escalated when Ukrainian and Polish officials reached out to the US government for clarification. However, key national security officials in the White House, Pentagon, and State Department were left without answers. This lack of communication raised eyebrows, especially since the decision seemed to have been made without direct input from President Trump.
Documents reviewed by Reuters indicated that Hegseth had issued a verbal order to stop the shipments shortly after a meeting on January 30, where military aid to Ukraine was discussed. However, Trump had not officially instructed him to take such action, and he was reportedly unaware of Hegseth’s order.
The order came through the Pentagon’s Joint Staff, but it was unclear why top national security officials were not informed. Within a week, on February 5, the flights resumed, allowing the delivery of military support to Ukraine to continue.
The cancellation of the flights reportedly cost the US Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) approximately $2.2 million, although TRANSCOM later clarified that the total was $1.6 million, as one of the canceled flights incurred no charges.
In response to inquiries about the situation, the White House maintained that Hegseth was acting on a directive from Trump to pause aid to Ukraine, which they claimed reflected the administration’s position at that time. However, they did not explain why other officials were unaware of the decision or why it was quickly reversed.
The pause in military aid came at a critical time for Ukraine, as its forces were struggling against Russian advances. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges within the US administration regarding foreign policy and military support in the face of international conflicts.
Despite the brief suspension of aid in February and a longer pause that began in early March, the Trump administration has since resumed sending the remaining military assistance that was approved under President Biden. No new policies regarding aid to Ukraine have been announced.