[dabigv13]

President Trump on sending more weapons to Ukraine: "We're gonna send some more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves. They're getting hit very hard now."

https://x.com/Archer83Able/status/1942373320047092077

Very cool and normal that defense policy is being made by a DOD undersecretary and then within days changed during a press interview with the president. Of course let's see if/when Patriot missile shipments resume.

Isn’t defense policy normally formulated by undersecretaries and staffers and endorsed by the Secretary?

BC

That would make sense. But after it's formulated, it would normally be put through interagency consultations and for something this important probably getting sign off from POTUS, before it was implemented.

The reporting on the Ukraine aid being withheld indicates the State Department and military leaders were blindsided and upset. Trump has said he didn't know about it and was surprised when it happened.

During a Cabinet meeting, when President Trump was asked who ordered the pause of missiles and ammunition shipment to Ukraine last week, he said he didn't know.

https://bsky.app/profile/nbcnews.com/post/3lthwp2vqki2j

If this were to happen in most administrations, I would think the undersecretary and the SecDef would be fired. Not expecting that now but would be happy to be wrong.

[dabigv13]

President Trump on sending more weapons to Ukraine: "We're gonna send some more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves. They're getting hit very hard now."

https://x.com/Archer83Able/status/1942373320047092077

Very cool and normal that defense policy is being made by a DOD undersecretary and then within days changed during a press interview with the president. Of course let's see if/when Patriot missile shipments resume.

Isn’t defense policy normally formulated by undersecretaries and staffers and endorsed by the Secretary?

BC

That would make sense. But after it's formulated, it would normally be put through interagency consultations and for something this important probably getting sign off from POTUS, before it was implemented.

The reporting on the Ukraine aid being withheld indicates the State Department and military leaders were blindsided and upset. Trump has said he didn't know about it and was surprised when it happened.

During a Cabinet meeting, when President Trump was asked who ordered the pause of missiles and ammunition shipment to Ukraine last week, he said he didn't know.

https://bsky.app/profile/nbcnews.com/post/3lthwp2vqki2j

If this were to happen in most administrations, I would think the undersecretary and the SecDef would be fired. Not expecting that now but would be happy to be wrong.