May 7, 2025

Damn. Turns out Whiskey Pete Hegseth's office ordered a temporary halt of military aid flights to Ukraine in early February without notifying the White House, Reuters reported yesterday. AND HE STILL HAS A JOB. What kind of half-assed show are they running over there? Via Kyiv Independent:

The suspension reportedly affected 11 shipments of artillery shells and weapons from Dover Air Force Base and a U.S. base in the United Arab Emirates.

The order, issued about a week after U.S. President Donald Trump began his second term, caused immediate concern in Kyiv and among officials in Poland, who contacted Washington for answers.

Top national security officials at the White House, Pentagon, and State Department were unaware of the decision and could not respond to inquiries.

The flights resumed Feb. 5, after a three-day pause, following an alleged intervention from U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, one source said.

How does that even happen?

The verbal order reportedly originated from Hegseth's office after a Jan. 30 Oval Office meeting on Ukraine, where cutting off aid was discussed but not approved by Trump.

Four people familiar with the matter told Reuters a small group of Pentagon staffers, many with long-standing opposition to U.S. aid for Ukraine, had advised Hegseth to suspend assistance.

No one in the White House was aware of the suspension until Ukrainian and European partners raised concerns. The canceled flights reportedly cost U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) $2.2 million.

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