President Donald Trump announced a sudden policy change that will once again ship powerful weapons to Ukraine - while sitting next to the top official credited with unilaterally ordering the pause. The stunning U-turn came at an evening meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and top members of his security team. It followed a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin that drew a rare public rebuke from Trump, and returns the U.S. to the posture of sending lethal weaponry to its beleaguered ally.
Trump was seated next to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during the event, which 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. 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,' Trump said.
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.
NBC reported July 4th 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.' 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.
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.'