Trump's defense secretary candidate addressed whether the U.S. would abandon Ukraine.

He stated this during the Senate Armed Services Committee hearings regarding the confirmation of Hegset as Secretary of Defense.

The senator recalled that when Hegset discussed priorities, he mentioned China, but there was no mention of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. This raised the question of whether this indicates that the U.S. might withdraw from Ukraine.

In response, Hegset emphasized that this is a political decision at the presidential level, and the president has already "made it clear" that he would like to put an end to the war.

“We know who the aggressor is. We know who the good guys are. We want this to be as beneficial as possible for the Ukrainians, but this war must end,” he stated.

About Hegset

The newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump nominated Fox News host and former military member Pete Hegset for the position of Secretary of Defense. He has military service experience, having served in Afghanistan and Iraq, and has acted as an unofficial advisor to Trump for several years.

At the same time, Hegset's nomination sparked controversy due to his lack of experience in leading large organizations, as well as his critical remarks regarding military leadership, the service of women in combat roles, and Muslim faith.