Pentagon chief confronts barrage of tough questions in Senate committee, including ones about Ukraine

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was challenged with a barrage of hard-hitting questions, including on Ukraine, during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the armed forces held on 11 June.

As reported by The Hill, Republican senators from the subcommittee on the armed forces bombarded Hegseth with questions on Wednesday 11 June.

Mitch McConnell, one of three Republicans who initially opposed Hegseth’s appointment, "grilled" him on budgetary issues and also warned against showing leniency towards Russia in attempts to end the Russo-Ukrainian war.

McConnell said that US allies are "wondering whether we're in the middle of brokering what appears to be allowing the Russians to define victory".

"I think victory is defined by the people who have to live there – the Ukrainians," he stressed and directly asked Hegseth whose side Trump's administration is on.

"America's reputation is on the line. Will we defend Democratic allies against authoritarian aggressors?" he asked. "We don't want a headline at the end of this conflict that says Russia wins and America loses."

Later, Senator Lindsey Graham asked Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, whether he believed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin would stop if he got what he wanted in Ukraine. Caine said he does not "believe he is" and Hegseth responded that it "remains to be seen".

"Well, he says he's not. This is the '30s all over," Graham then sharply countered him.

This week, Hegseth said that Trump’s administration plans to reduce the budget for security assistance to Ukraine.

The Trump administration has not provided new military aid to Ukraine since taking office, although weapons from previously approved packages under the prior administration continue to arrive.