Brit Hume Explains Why Trump Reversed Course And Sent Weapons To Ukraine

Brit Hume said on Fox News Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s decision to reverse course and send weapons to Ukraine stems from his concerns about the political fallout should Russia win that conflict.

The U.S. halted shipments of precision weapons and missile defense systems to Ukraine due to concerns that America’s own stockpile is running low, following a decision by Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby. During an appearance on “Special Report with Bret Baier,” Hume said that while a segment of the MAGA base objects to helping Ukraine, the majority, including much of the conservative wing, still supports the effort.

“I’m not even sure that the majority of the MAGA base is against helping Ukraine. Certainly, there is a vocal part of it, including some people, perhaps within the administration, who would like to abandon Ukraine,” Hume said. “But I think the president is looking at this situation and imagining what would be the political consequences if Ukraine were to fall completely under the boot heel of Russia.”

Hume said the president’s careful political calculations drive his decisions.

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“I think he thinks that would go down badly in the United States, including with most Republicans, including with much of MAGA, and that he would get the blame for that, and he doesn’t want any part of that, and so he’s begun to reverse field here,” Hume said. (RELATED: Brit Hume Reports What Percentage Of US Households Don’t Pay Federal Income Tax)

Hume agreed with Trump’s assessment that Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to capture all of Ukraine. Russia’s costly and slow progress, Hume went on to say, might soon backfire.

“I think it may end up being a miscalculation on Putin’s part. Because so long as the United States, with perhaps increased help from our European friends, are supplying Ukraine with weapons, they have shown that even when outnumbered and apparently outgunned, they can hold a lot of territory,” Hume said. “And Russia has sacrificed a huge number of men and a great deal of material to inch forward in Ukraine. They’ve been continuing to do it. They haven’t been driven out. But their advances have been glacial and at terrible cost.”

Trump announced he would send Ukraine 10 Patriot interceptor missile batteries, following a review of U.S. weapons stockpiles. However, some in the administration remain skeptical about increased U.S. involvement, with efforts underway to enlist European partners to help supply critical equipment.

Putin’s reluctance to engage in peace talks has reportedly influenced Trump’s decision to send Ukraine the missile batteries. As Russia and Ukraine exchange strikes with little change on the frontlines, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that any ceasefire would require Ukraine’s disarmament.

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