Pentagon officials denied the narrative perpetuated by President Donald Trump that there was a lack of communication between the department and the White House regarding the temporary suspension of military aid to Ukraine.

Hegseth speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon on June 26, 2025. (Andrew Harnik / ) Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary,

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth did not inform the White House before he authorized a pause on weapons shipments to Ukraine last week, according to five sources familiar with the matter, setting off a scramble inside the administration to understand why the halt was implemented and explain it to Congress and the Ukrainian government.

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In some ways, the U.S. vacillation has a bigger impact than the lack of the weapons themselves, the officials said. A single shipment of arms—even one that included dozens of Patriot missiles, hundreds of Hellfires, and thousands of rounds of 155-millimeter artillery—does not make or break Ukraine’s war effort.

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