Hegseth and Waltz Refuse to Describe Russia as Aggressor in Ukraine Conflict
In separate Fox interviews on Sunday, the defense secretary and national security adviser ducked Kremlin-critical questions.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz both refused to call Russia the aggressor in the Ukrainian war, in separate interviews three years after Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion.
In an interview with Shannon Bream on Fox News Sunday, the Pentagon chief dodged direct questions from the host—who then earned MAGA ire on X for not softballing Hegseth. “Shannon Bream is an undercover leftist. Prove me wrong,” one person wrote.
“My question is, does all the finger-pointing and pearl-clutching make peace more likely?” former Fox & Friends host Hegseth responded when grilled on why the current administration has decided not to pin the blame on Russia.
When Bream asked if it was fair to say that Russia had invaded Ukraine without provocation on Feb. 24, 2022, Hegseth said it was “fair to say it’s a very complicated situation.” He was pressed further by Bream and acknowledged there was “an invasion into Ukraine” without actually naming Russia.
He then tried to blame former President Joe Biden, saying his administration’s decision to label the invasion as a “minor incursion” caused Putin to go further. “Vladimir Putin took that as a signal of weakness and entered,” he said.
Over on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, Mike Waltz attempted to wriggle out of a much softer approach from Maria Bartiromo.
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Asked to state whether Russia was indeed the aggressor in 2022 when Putin’s “special military operation” kicked off, Waltz demurred and instead launched into a comparison between Biden and Donald Trump.
Trump has ripped up the rulebook on language around Russia's role in the conflict.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
“Can you acknowledge that Russia is the aggressor here?” the host asked directly. Trump is “the dealmaker-in-chief,” Waltz said. “He’s the commander-in-chief. And it’s only because of his strength that we’re even in this position.” He too tried to blame former administrations before Bartiromo moved on.
It comes after Trump’s bombshell decision last week to block any condemnation of Moscow in a G7 statement to mark the anniversary of the Russian invasion. That followed U.S.-Russia “peace” talks in Saudi Arabia, which were held without any Ukrainian representation.
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