GOP Rep. Caught Flat-Footed After Fox Host Informs Him Pete Hegseth Ordered Halt on Cyber Operations Against Russia: ‘I Don’t Know Why’

U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) was taken aback when he was told Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered a halt on cyber operations against Russia.

In recent weeks, President Donald Trump — to the surprise of both Republicans and Democrats — has seemingly shifted the country’s stance on Ukraine’s war with Russia. He’s even outright accused Ukraine of starting the conflict and called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator.” That all came before the now-infamous Oval Office shouting match and Trump’s continued attacks of Zelensky in the aftermath of it.

On Monday, it was reported that Hegseth ordered a pause on the country’s offensive cyber operations against Russia. The BBC characterized the move as a “softening” of America’s position against it’s longtime adversary in an effort to end the war with Ukraine.

When Fox Business host Stuart Varney broke that news to Gimenez, he openly questioned the decision.

“I don’t know why he’s doing that,” Gimenez said. “The Russians are attacking us every single day. The Chinese are attacking us every single day. I don’t think you do, you signal [to] the Russians that, ‘Hey, we’re going to unilaterally withdraw from from this space.’ If they can keep attacking us — and they do every single day — they should they should be fearful of our capacity to inflict damage on them.; so I really don’t understand where that’s coming from.”

Varney added that the move made it “look like we’re moving to Russia’s side.”

“Well, that would be a mistake,” Gimenez said.

Watch above via Fox Business