Trump Stuns With Non-Answer On Who Paused U.S. Weapon Shipments to Ukraine
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
President Donald Trump raised eyebrows at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting when he told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, “I don’t know,” when asked who paused weapons shipments to Ukraine last week.
“Mr. President, you have sent more weapons to Ukraine, as you said last night. Last week, the Pentagon paused some shipments of weapons to the Ukraine. Did you approve of that pause?” Collins asked Trump.
“We want to put defensive weapons because Putin is not treating human beings right, he’s killing too many people. So we’re sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine, and I’ve approved that,” replied Trump, who had fumed at CNN earlier during the meeting.
“So, who ordered the pause last week?” Collins pressed.
“I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?” shot back the president.
“I think that’s a question for the Pentagon,” Collins replied as Trump quickly moved on.
The exchange left many observers stunned as questions have reverberated around DC in recent days as to who exactly was behind the weapons pause.
On Friday, Republican Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE) suggested that top Pentagon official Elbridge Colby may have gone rogue in stopping U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine. Bacon, a former U.S. Air Force brigadier general, wrote on X Friday, “Congress wants answers here. Did Under Secretary Colby do this on his own without approval? The President said he was not notified nor did he approve the halt in weapon shipments to Ukraine.”
Former Defense One editor Kevin Baron reacted to Trump’s comment, saying, “The commander in chief either knows, doesn’t know, or doesn’t seem to care who ordered a halt in the U.S.’s largest arms supply effort to an active war.”
“It seems like a pretty big deal that the commander in chief doesn’t know who ordered the pause of delivery of weapons to a US ally. But at least he’s got a perfume with his name on it,” added independent journalist Mike Rothschild.
“Looks like someone got left out of the Signal chat,” quipped Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV).
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