Amid Ukraine weapons debacle, Trump claims he 'would know' about any decision to halt shipments
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on July 9 that he "would know" of any decision from his administration to halt weapons shipments to Ukraine, despite claiming the day prior that he didn't know who ordered the pause.
The comments follow reports that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acted without informing the White House when he ordered a temporary pause on arms deliveries to Ukraine early in July. Trump himself said on July 8 that he didn't know who authorized the pause.
At a briefing on July 9, a reporter asked Trump whether he had since discovered the source of the decision.
"Well I haven't thought about it, because we're looking at Ukraine right now, and munitions, but I have not gone into it," Trump said.
"What does it say that such a big decision could be made inside your government without you knowing?" the journalist asked.
"I would know," Trump immediately replied, contradicting his previous remarks.
"If a decision was made, I will know. I will be the first to know. In fact, most likely I'd give the order. But I haven't done that yet."
The contradictory comments reflect the overall confusion in messaging from the Trump White House about an unexpected military aid suspension that shocked not only Ukrainians, but also U.S. national security officials, the State Department, Congress, and European allies.
While the White House and State Department confirmed on July 8 that Trump had ordered the resumption of weapons deliveries to Kyiv, questions remain as to how and why the suspension was authorized in the first place.
According to five sources who spoke with CNN, Hegseth made the decision at the recommendation of Pentagon official Elbridge Colby, a long-time critic of military aid to Ukraine. The Pentagon said the temporary pause was part of a review of U.S. defense capabilities and was meant to preserve Washington's stockpiles.
Hegseth reportedly did not consult Secretary of State Marco Rubio or U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg prior to giving the order.
The pause, approved on July 2, affected a weapons package that included Patriot interceptor missiles, 155 mm artillery rounds, Hellfire missiles, Stinger and AIM air-to-air missiles, and other key munitions. The delay in air defense deliveries came amid some of the largest Russian drone and missile attacks against Ukraine this year.
When asked about the suspension on July 4, Trump initially denied it, saying, "We haven't (paused the shipments). We're giving weapons." In a later phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump claimed he wasn't responsible for the weapons halt.
Trump has since suggested the U.S. is interested in providing Ukraine with more weapons, including a possible Patriot air defense system — a move that would represent Trump's first major arms transfer to Kyiv not previously authorized by the Biden administration.