U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week ordered the Pentagon to suspend a shipment of air-defense missiles, artillery shells and other arms bound for Ukraine, NBC News reported, citing three U.S. officials. The unilateral decision, issued on 2 July, surprised the State Department, officials in Kyiv, European allies and members of Congress. A review by the Pentagon’s Joint Staff had concluded that releasing the package—including dozens of Patriot interceptors, 155-millimeter artillery rounds, Hellfire missiles, GMLRS rockets, Stinger and AIM air-to-air missiles and grenade launchers—would not push U.S. stockpiles below required readiness levels. Despite the finding, Hegseth, backed by Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, halted the delivery, arguing that inventories were too low. Representative Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, called the justification “disingenuous,” and lawmakers from both parties are reviewing whether the pause breaches legislation mandating security assistance to Ukraine. It is the third time since February that Hegseth has frozen U.S. military aid to Ukraine; earlier stoppages in February and May were reversed after a few days. The White House said the action forms part of a broader review of munitions stockpiles, yet critics warn the delay weakens Kyiv as Russia escalates missile and drone strikes. Some of the U.S. weapons had already been loaded onto trucks in Poland when the stop order arrived, according to officials.