Top US Democrat urges Trump to fire Pentagon chief

WASHINGTON

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer slammed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday, calling on President Donald Trump to dismiss him from his post.

"To no one’s surprise -- Secretary Hegseth continues to be an embarrassment and a liability.

"Trump should fire him and pick someone else to serve as Secretary of Defense," the top Democrat said on X, sharing a CNN report which said Hegseth did not inform the White House before he authorized a pause on weapons shipments to Ukraine last week.

Last week, US media reported that the Pentagon had suspended some shipments of air defense missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine due to concerns over low US stockpiles. However, both Trump and the Defense Department confirmed on Monday that the US will send more weapons to Ukraine to help it defend against Russia.

During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Trump distanced himself from the decision, implying he was not behind the pause in arms shipments to Ukraine. When pressed if he had approved the move, Trump, who was seated next to Hegseth, responded: "I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?"

Separately, asked Thursday about the weapons pause, Trump told NBC News: "I don’t know anything about it."

He added that Hegseth is "doing a great job."

Trump has openly voiced his dissatisfaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin with what is going on in the Ukraine war and did not rule out further sanctions on Moscow.

Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal on April 1 introduced a bill titled the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 that would impose a 500% tariff on imported goods from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other products.

According to NBC News, Trump said Thursday that he expected the Senate to pass the sanctions measure.

“It’s a bill that the Senate is passing that very respectfully lets the president do whatever he wants, as you know,” he said.

“In other words, it’s at my option if I want to use it. They’re going to pass a very major and very biting sanctions bill, but it’s up to the president as to whether or not he wants to exercise it,” he added.

Graham said Thursday that Putin’s refusal to be "reasonable" is going to be met with resistance by Trump.

"If media reports are accurate, the combination of ending defensive weapons to Ukraine and having congressional sanctions available for President Trump’s use against Putin and his customers will be a game changer. Big miscalculation by Putin," he said on X.

According to some US media reports, Trump is considering sending weapons to Ukraine under the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which enables the president to tap into existing US weapons stockpiles to assist allies during times of emergency.

The most recent drawdown was a $500 million package approved by former President Joe Biden on Jan. 9.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that he met with Graham and Blumenthal in Italy's capital Rome, where they also discussed their bill.

"Without a doubt, this is exactly the kind of leverage that can bring peace closer and make sure diplomacy is not empty," Zelenskyy said on X.

Trump also said Thursday that he will make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday, without giving further details.