Hegseth Says the Pentagon Released Funds for Ukraine

Lawmakers were frustrated at the delay in disbursing $400 million in aid.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appears before the House Committee on Armed Services.

Funding for Ukraine “was released as of yesterday,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. Rod Lamkey Jr./AP

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that $400 million in congressionally approved funding for Ukraine has been released after weeks of scrutiny from lawmakers over the delay in disbursing the aid.

The funding “was released as of yesterday,” Hegseth said in response to questions during a House Armed Services Committee hearing.

Congress approved $400 million for Ukraine aid in spending legislation that was signed into law in February, and lawmakers were growing frustrated. Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate’s defense appropriations chair, said in a Washington Post op-ed on Tuesday that the funds were “now collecting dust” and held up by the Pentagon policy directorate.