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Trump allies demand probe into Pentagon halt of Ukraine aid

Trump allies demand probe into Pentagon halt of Ukraine aid US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (Getty Images)

Supporters of US President Donald Trump in the Senate are calling for an investigation into Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who reportedly suspended military aid to US allies, most notably Ukraine, without presidential approval, according to The Hill.

Sources within the Republican Party told The Hill that senators are demanding a thorough investigation into Hegseth's actions. Some believe the situation may have stemmed from a "miscommunication" between the secretary and the president — suggesting Hegseth suspended aid because he was unclear on Trump's intentions regarding the weapons.

However, other senators suspect Hegseth and his officials may have deliberately acted to bypass the president in his role as commander-in-chief of the US military. This is why they are insisting on a full investigation.

One source told the publication that the situation was considered a serious issue that would need to be addressed.

The suspension of aid to Ukraine was characterized by one of the senator's aides as a deeply flawed decision, while another source noted that the incident underscored major coordination problems between branches of the US government.

"That's a problem. To hear there may have been other pauses or this pause went on longer than any of us know, to me that's alarming. I would elevate this to being beyond concerned, to being alarmed. It's not like we're talking to a small arms sale to some African nation, this is Ukraine," said the source.

Additionally, the incident caused serious reputational damage to Trump and the United States. One of the senator's aides assured the publication that Trump definitely did not make the decision to suspend aid to Kyiv.

It's unlikely the president would risk sparking a wave of negative media attention over the suspension, especially after his successful NATO summit in The Hague, which Trump had intended to present as his victory, the source added.

Resumption of US military aid to Ukraine

According to Western media reports, the United States temporarily paused shipments of certain types of weapons to Ukraine last week. The White House explained that the decision was related to an audit of stockpiles at US military depots.

Following a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 3, and amid intensified Russian strike, President Donald Trump announced that aid to Ukraine would resume. He emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin bears responsibility for numerous civilian deaths.

Trump also stated that he had not considered who had made the decision to halt arms deliveries to Ukraine. However, media reports indicate that the suspension was ordered by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth — allegedly without informing either Trump or Congress.