Overview

• The administration halted deliveries on July 1–2 of select air defense missiles, 155 mm artillery shells and precision-guided munitions such as Stingers and Hellfires following a classified Pentagon review.
• Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby spearheaded the freeze to safeguard U.S. military readiness for potential future contingencies.
• Ukraine is enduring its largest drone and missile onslaught of the war—over 530 launches in one weekend—putting its strained air defenses at greater risk.
• White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly justified the decision as putting “America’s interests first” amid concerns about global defense commitments.
• Republican and Democratic members of the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees are seeking to reverse or clearly define the scope of the pause and outline resupply timelines.