Topline
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth paused 11 military aid flights bound for Ukraine earlier this year without informing the president or other top Pentagon officials, Reuters reported, the latest damning report surrounding Hegseth—though the White House claims Hegseth was following the president’s directive.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth looks on before a National Day of Prayer event in the Rose Garden of … More
Key Facts
Within days of a Jan. 30 meeting with President Donald Trump, Hegseth paused 11 planes carrying artillery shells and other weaponry originating from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and a U.S. base in Qatar that were bound for Poland, Reuters reported, citing U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) records.
A potential pause in aid to Ukraine was discussed during the meeting, but Trump never gave a formal instruction, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed sources with knowledge of the meeting.
The order from Hegseth’s office to stop the flights blindsided Trump, top national security officials and officials in Ukraine and Poland, Reuters reported, citing three unnamed sources familiar with the matter, though the White House reportedly told Reuters Hegseth was following Trump’s directive in giving the order (when reached for comment by Forbes, the White House pointed to comments it gave Reuters saying Hegseth was following the directive).
It’s unclear why Hegseth issued the order: three unnamed sources told Reuters Hegseth misinterpreted his conversations with Trump, four said Hegseth staffers who oppose U.S. aid to Ukraine advised him to stop the shipments and two described the directive as a “logistical pause.”
Then-National Security Advisor Mike Waltz—who was forced out last week after the controversy surrounding his and Hegseth’s use of the Signal chat app to discuss military plans—intervened to reverse the decision and the flights were back in the air a week later, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed source.
The report comes hours after new revelations Monday that Hegseth’s use of the Signal chat app is more extensive than previously known, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Contra
“Negotiating an end to the Russia-Ukraine War has been a complex and fluid situation. We are not going to detail every conversation among top administration officials throughout the process,” White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told Reuters. “The bottom line is the war is much closer to an end today than it was when President Trump took office.”
Tangent
Aid to Ukraine has created a divide between two factions of Hegseth staffers: those who want to continue U.S. support for Kyiv and those advocating for an America-first foreign policy approach, Reuters reported. Trump twice paused, but has since resumed, aid to Ukraine approved by Biden.
Key Background
The directive about the Ukraine flights is among a series of controversies that have embroiled Hegseth since he took office in January, following a difficult confirmation battle marred by allegations of troubling drinking habits and a sexual assault accusation (which he’s denied). In April, Hegseth texted a detailed timeline of the U.S. military’s plans for attacking the Houthis in Yemen to a group chat that included the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic magazine, Jeffrey Goldberg. Waltz was later removed from his national security adviser position after admitting he inadvertently added Goldberg to the chat. Hegseth was subsequently accused of using a second Signal chat in which he shared the Houthi attack details with his wife and brother, leading him to fire several top aides and accuse them of leaks. On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported Hegseth used the Signal app on “at least a dozen separate” occasions.
Further Reading
Hegseth Blasts Second Signal Leak As ‘Anonymous Smears From Disgruntled Former Employees’ (Forbes)
Trump Nominating Mike Waltz As UN Ambassador—As He’s Dropped From National Security Adviser Role (Forbes)
