Overview

• President Trump on July 7 reversed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s suspension of critical munitions deliveries to Ukraine, restoring the flow of air defense interceptors and precision-guided weapons.
• Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell and Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson rejected reports that the department left the White House uninformed, saying the pause was part of a coordinated government-wide review of U.S. stockpiles.
• The shipment hold had coincided with Russia’s largest-ever drone and missile barrage against Ukraine, involving over 720 drones and at least a dozen missiles striking 11 regions.
• Bipartisan criticism intensified as Rep. Ted Lieu and other lawmakers called for Secretary Hegseth’s resignation, citing his autonomous decision-making as a risk to U.S. and allied security.
• Ongoing internal inquiries within the Pentagon and the White House underscore persistent concerns about defense decision-making processes and strategic alignment of U.S. military aid.