Stephen Feinberg, President Trump’s pick to be deputy secretary of Defense, declined to say during his confirmation hearing on Tuesday whether Russia invaded Ukraine.
In separate exchanges with Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Feinberg suggested he did not want to risk undermining the Trump administration’s position in negotiations by commenting publicly on the matter.
“There’s a very tense negotiation going on now,” Feinberg told Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), when pressed for an answer on whether Russia invaded Ukraine.
“I don’t think some person who’s not informed on this, not involved in discussions, should make statements public that could undermine what the president and the secretary’s intent is,” Feinberg said.
“I do have confidence that President Trump is very strong at negotiation, has a plan and that he will find a good outcome for America,” Feinberg added.
Later in the hearing, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) pressed Feinberg on the issue again.
She read the headline of a Fox News article from three years ago: “Russia invades Ukraine in largest European attack since World War II.” Duckworth noted that the article featured Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who was a Fox News commentator at the time.
“Can you tell me if Russia invaded Ukraine?” Duckworth asked Feinberg, who let out an audible sigh.
“Mr. Feinberg? I mean, Mr. Hegseth said it,” she continued, referring to the article.
“Yeah, I understand,” Feinberg replied.
“It’s easy. Yes or no: Did they invade Ukraine?”
Feinberg again said he did not want to comment on the issue amid negotiations.
“I don’t feel that I should publicly comment in the middle of a tense negotiation when I’m not privy to the facts to undermine what potentially,” Feinberg responded before Duckworth interrupted to clarify whether he’s saying he’s not privy to the fact that Russia invaded Ukraine and began the war that’s lasted for three years.
“I’m not privy to the details of what’s going on in negotiation between Russia and Ukraine, what the sensitivities are, what the president is trying to accomplish, so I’d be afraid to speak out of turn and undermine that,” Feinberg said.
The exchange comes as the U.S. appears to be carrying out a major shift in its foreign policy approach. Frustrations have been simmering over the Trump administration’s efforts to negotiate an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine — without Ukraine or Europe at the negotiating table.
But tensions reached a boiling point Monday when the U.S. voted against a resolution condemning Russia as the aggressor in the war in Ukraine that passed the United Nations General Assembly.
The move also followed recent statements from Trump’s top diplomats refusing to cast blame on Russia for launching a full-scale invasion of its neighboring country three years ago.
In an interview on “Fox News Sunday” over the weekend, host Shannon Bream asked Hegseth whether it’s fair to say Russia launched an unprovoked attack on Ukraine three years ago. Hegseth responded saying it’s “fair to say it’s a very complicated situation.”
