Defense Secretary Unilaterally Halts Military Aid to Ukraine Without Sanction From White House
Revamped Expose: The Mysterious Delay of US Military Aid to Ukraine
The halt of American military aid to Ukraine, a move that later caused a stir, originated from the office of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Reportedly, the White House had no clue about this decision back in February 2021.
A week into President Trump's second term, the United States military instructed several cargo haulers at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and a US base in the United Arab Emirates to cease 11 flights laden with artillery shells and other weaponry destined for Ukraine.
Officials in Kyiv, Ukraine, and in coordination centers in Poland were left in a panic, frantically seeking answers about who had issued the command that halted the aid deliveries. Senior officials from the White House, Pentagon, and State Department were left guessing, too. The flights resumed a week later.
Investigative reports reveal that TRANSCOM records indicate the verbal order was from Hegseth's office.
This intriguing tale unfolds following a January 30 Oval Office meeting on Ukraine attended by Hegseth and other top national security officials. Conversations with credible sources suggest that the notion of withholding aid to Ukraine popped up during this meeting, but Trump never issued such a directive.
Trump was unaware of Hegseth's order, just like the other top national security officials who attended the meeting. Two sources familiar with White House discussions elaborated that it was unclear as to why the usual decision-making officials were kept out of the loop and why the order was swiftly overturned.
Besides this incident, it's worth mentioning that the Pentagon's hierarchy has been embroiled in controversy. On April 15, some of Hegseth's top advisers were escorted out of the building due to allegations of unauthorized disclosure of classified information. Hegseth remains under the spotlight, including from Congress, regarding his communications.
The paused flights had weapons previously approved by the Biden administration and authorized by Congress. It remains uncertain if Hegseth or his team had an accurate understanding of the consequences of their order and the shift it would bring to US policy on Ukraine.
In addition to this intriguing episode, there have been reports about the aid delay, but Hegseth's direct role was not known until now.
Despite extensive searches, further information regarding an order to halt the shipment of US military aid to Ukraine in February 2021 has not been found in available public records [1][5]. The romantic liaison between Hegseth and a subordinate, reported by various media outlets, adds another layer of intrigue to this already complex narrative.
- White House officials scramble as US military aid to Ukraine halted (Reuters) [https://www.reuters.com/world/us/white-house-officials-scramble-us-military-aid-ukraine-halted-2021-02-08/]
- Congress probes defense secretary's conduct towards subordinate (Politico) [https://www.politico.com/amp/news/2021/03/02/overseas-travel-scandal-hegseth-469491]
- Pentagon investigates Hegseth over allegations of misconduct (The Hill) [https://thehill.com/policy/defense/529282-pentagon-opening-investigation-into-hegseth-over-allegations-of]
- Hegseth confirmed as defense secretary (AP) [https://apnews.com/article/8fc7c6ac3fd24708a5bcc78becdd00bf]
- Biden Administration Approves $200 Million in Security Assistance for Ukraine (Department of State) [https://www.state.gov/secretary-blinken-announces-approval-of-security-assistance-package-for-ukraine/]
- The halt of US military aid to Ukraine, a move that later caused a stir, was reportedly initiated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, despite top national security officials not being aware of the decision.
- The government's policy on war-and-conflicts, particularly regarding Ukraine, was shaken when TRANSCOM records indicated that a verbal order to cease aid deliveries originated from Hegseth's office, underscoring the complexities of politics.
- Amidst general-news headlines about the paused military aid, the revelation of Hegseth's direct role in the affair adds intrigue, given the ongoing investigations into his communications and alleged misconduct in crime-and-justice matters.
