Hegseth kept Trump in the dark again? Pentagon chief halted Ukraine weapons shipment twice without telling him

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth allowed a pause in American weapons shipments to Ukraine last week, without informing the White House, CNN reported, citing multiple sources familiar with the situation. The surprise move sparked internal confusion and urgent efforts within the Trump administration to manage backlash from both Congress and Ukrainian officials.

President Donald Trump made it clear on Tuesday that he had not ordered the halt. Asked directly during a Cabinet meeting if he approved the pause, Trump replied, “I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?”

Not the first time Hegseth froze shipments

This is reportedly the second time this year that Hegseth has unilaterally decided to stop military aid to Ukraine, both times leaving senior officials out of the loop. A similar decision in February was reversed quickly, just like this latest one.

CNN reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and retired General Keith Kellogg, now the special envoy to Ukraine, were also not informed of the latest pause and only found out through press reports.

Pentagon defends move

Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson told CNN, “Secretary Hegseth provided a framework for the President to evaluate military aid shipments and assess existing stockpiles. This effort was coordinated across government.” However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified, “The Pentagon conducted a review to ensure all support going to all foreign nations aligns with America’s interests,” and added that President Trump “has made the decision to continue providing defensive weapons to Ukraine.” She also said that Trump “has full confidence in the Secretary of Defense.”

Trump tells Pentagon to resume at least some shipments

Soon after learning of the unauthorised pause, Trump reportedly instructed Hegseth to resume at least part of the aid, particularly the interceptor missiles for Ukraine’s Patriot defence systems. A senior official told CNN the munitions were already in Poland and ready for quick delivery to Kyiv. The weapons had been allocated by the previous administration and were already en route when the pause took effect.

Trump reiterated his stance during Tuesday’s White House remarks, “The Ukrainians… they were very brave, because somebody had to operate that stuff.” Despite previous warmth towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, sources told CNN that Trump has recently become more sceptical. He is reportedly less inclined to halt Ukraine aid and give Russia any advantage, especially as Putin appears unwilling to engage in peace negotiations. “We get a lot of bulls**t thrown at us by Putin,” Trump said. “It’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”

Who actually made the call to pause shipments?

The pause appears to have been influenced by Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby. Known for his scepticism of Ukraine aid, Colby advised a temporary stop, citing concerns about US stockpile depletion. Colby passed his recommendation to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg, who agreed. Hegseth then signed off, reportedly believing it matched Trump’s “America First” approach, even though the president had not ordered it.