Order by Hegseth to Cancel Ukraine Weapons Caught White House off Guard

Just days after Donald Trump assumed office for a second term, a surprising order emerged from the Pentagon: 11 scheduled military cargo flights carrying weapons to Ukraine were abruptly canceled. These flights, operating from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and a U.S. base in Qatar, were halted without explanation raising alarms among Ukrainian officials in Kyiv and their counterparts in Poland, where the shipments were being coordinated.

The order reportedly originated verbally from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's office, according to U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) documents reviewed by Reuters. Yet senior national security figures across the White House, State Department, and Pentagon appeared unaware of the directive, prompting widespread confusion about whether U.S. aid to Ukraine had been permanently suspended.

Although President Trump had convened a meeting on January 30 with Hegseth and other top officials to discuss Ukraine, sources confirm he did not authorize any suspension of aid. The White House later claimed that Hegseth acted on a broader directive to pause assistance though it remains unclear why key officials were left uninformed or why the order was reversed within days.

TRANSCOM resumed the flights by February 5, and the brief halt incurred costs estimated between $1.6 million and $2.2 million. The formal suspension of aid did not occur until March 4, when the White House publicly announced a new policy.

The incident underscores significant dysfunction within the Trump administration's national security decision-making process. Insiders point to a chaotic internal structure marked by poor communication, personal rivalries, and lack of experience. Analysts, like retired Marine officer Mark Cancian, criticize the administration’s “move fast, break things” approach as incompatible with the responsibilities of long-established institutions like the Department of Defense.

For Ukraine, the pause created deep uncertainty. Officials struggled to get clear answers through diplomatic channels, and were ultimately told it was the result of internal U.S. political disputes. The full impact on weapons deliveries remains unclear, as some supplies may have already been stockpiled in Poland.

Adding to the turbulence, several top advisers to Hegseth were removed from the Pentagon in April amid allegations of leaking classified material, further intensifying scrutiny over his leadership and communications practices.