Former Vice President Mike Pence expressed concern during a CNN interview about a Pentagon decision to pause weapons shipments to Ukraine without informing President Donald Trump.
Pence was asked by CNN anchor Kate Bolduan about recent reporting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth halted arms supplies to Ukraine following escalating Russian attacks. Trump told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Tuesday he was unaware of who blocked the weapons shipments.
Pence’s Assessment of the Decision
Pence said the decision to pause shipments without presidential knowledge “was troubling to me,” adding that he expected Trump to investigate who initiated the halt. “The most important thing is that he reversed it,” Pence said, referencing Trump’s subsequent phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
However, Pence offered a broader critique of Ukraine policy. “We’ve got to continue to provide President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian military with the offensive capability, as well as the kind of support against aerial assaults that will allow them to achieve a real peace,” he said.
Ongoing Tensions Between Pence and Trump
The former vice president has previously criticized Trump’s foreign policy positions. In May, Pence called Trump’s remarks during a Saudi Arabia speech a “disservice” to U.S. veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Trump used that speech to denounce American interventionism, stating that modern Middle Eastern cities like Riyadh and Abu Dhabi were built by local populations rather than Western involvement. “The so-called ‘nation-builders’ wrecked far more nations than they built,” Trump said.
Pence responded on NBC’s Meet the Press, saying he has “never been a fan of American presidents criticizing America on foreign soil.” He noted that questioning the global war on terror “in Saudi Arabia, where 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers hailed from, not including Osama bin Laden, I thought was unfortunate.”
Pence’s Role in Conservative Politics
Pence stated in February that he intends to serve as a “constructive force for the conservative agenda” during Trump’s second term. He positioned himself as one of the few Republicans willing to formally challenge the president on policy matters.