Hegseth says munitions for US, not Ukraine

The Biden administration depleted the US weapon stocks by sending them to Kiev, the Pentagon chief has claimed

The Pentagon is now prioritizing refilling its own weapon stocks instead of sending them to Ukraine, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has said, blaming the Biden administration for any “challenges” the US military has been facing lately.

Hegseth made the remarks on Thursday during a media briefing alongside Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Asked about the reported $200 billion war chest the Pentagon has been seeking from Congress to fund the Iran war, Hegseth confirmed the discussions are ongoing and appeared to imply that the requested supplemental could grow even beyond the sum. 

“As far as $200 billion, I think that number could move, obviously. It takes money to kill bad guys,” Hegseth said. 

The additional funding is needed to replenish the US military stocks to “ensure that we’re properly funded for what’s been done, for what we may have to do in the future,” he added, while pointing the finger at the previous administration of Joe Biden.

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“We’re also still dealing with the environment that Joe Biden created, which was depleting those stockpiles and not sending them to our own military but to Ukraine. Which is, every time we reach back and look at any sort of a challenge we have, it goes back to, well, send it to Ukraine. Ultimately, we think these munitions are better spent in our own interests at this point,” he stated. 

Kiev has displayed an ever-growing appetite for Western funding and military deliveries amid the conflict with Russia, routinely accusing its backers of not providing enough support. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has eagerly tried to get involved in the hostilities between the US-Israeli forces and Iran. He has claimed that Washington, as well as multiple Gulf states, has sought Kiev’s help in fending off Iranian retaliatory strikes and floated swapping Ukrainian interceptor drones for US-made anti-aircraft Patriot missiles.

Zelensky’s advances were ultimately snubbed by US President Donald Trump, who said Washington has not sought Kiev’s help in the Iran war. Trump also took personal jabs at the Ukrainian leader, saying the “last person we need help from is Zelensky.”