Mike Pence Tells CNN He’s Certain It’s ‘Troubling’ to Trump That Hegseth Paused Weapons to Ukraine Without Telling Him

CNN anchor Kate Bolduan spoke to former Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday about President Donald Trump’s recent about-face on Ukraine and his tough words for Russian strongman Vladimir Putin.

Pence said he welcomed Trump’s hardening stance toward Putin and attributed it to the “isolationists” in the GOP losing ground with the president following their criticism of Trump’s strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Bolduan eventually turned the conversation to new CNN reporting that Pete Hegseth unilaterally paused weapons shipments to Ukraine amid ongoing Russian assaults. In recent days, Trump has been pressed about who stopped those weapons shipments, telling CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Tuesday, “I don’t know.”

“Today we learn that U.S. weapons shipments are starting back up to Ukraine, but this comes after the reporting is that the Pentagon paused shipments on some weapons, signed off on by the Secretary of Defense, without the knowledge, without informing the president of the United States. The idea that a decision that big was made without getting the approval of or even informing the president of the United States. Does that make any sense to you?” Bolduan asked.

“Well, when you’ve served at the level I’ve served at, it’s a big government. And a lot of people in your agencies and in departments are making decisions all the time. But that one was troubling to me. And my bet is it’s very troubling to the president. My expectation is that he’ll get to the bottom of it. He will find out who initiated that decision. But the most important thing is that he reversed it,” replied Pence, adding:

And made it clear in a phone call with President Zelensky last Friday that the support’s going to continue to come. Now, I will say, and I say respectfully to the president, if he’s looking on, it’s not just about defensive weapons. We’ve got to continue to provide President Zelensky and the Ukrainian military with the offensive capability as well as the kind of support against aerial assaults that will allow them to achieve a real peace.

“This isn’t the first problem at the Pentagon that has come out under the leadership of Pete Hegseth. Thom Tillis is suggesting he’s questioning his support for his confirmation. Do you think Pete Hegseth is up for this job?” Bolduan followed up.

“Yeah, I saw Senator Tillis’s criticism, and I don’t think it’s fair. Look, I’ve known Pete Hegseth a long time. He’s someone who’s worn the uniform. As you know, I got a couple in our immediate family that are currently serving in the armed forces of this country. And I’ve got to tell you, I’m very encouraged overall with the president’s leadership and his team at the Pentagon,” Pence replied, adding:

I think General Caine has demonstrated his extraordinary capabilities with the success of that mission over Iran. Our airmen did an incredible job after the president made that courageous decision to launch U.S. forces. I think the launching efforts earlier this year that caused the Houthis to stand down on what had been years of attacks against U.S. military vessels in the region, and probably the most hopeful thing, I would say, and I credit first the President, but also the Secretary of Defense and his entire team, is recruitment is up. We had fallen behind in every branch in the service in meeting recruitment goals at the end of the Biden administration, and now I’m told that we’re exceeding goals in every branch of our armed forces. So all of that is welcome news and positive.

Watch the clip above via CNN.