U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's attention-grabbing overseas debut may have irritated some key Republicans and alienated allies in Europe, where his statements on Ukraine and NATO went down like a lead balloon.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has called for NATO’s European members to increase their role in the defense of Europe as the United States focuses on defending the alliance’s Pacific flank. It is a move that he says will likely require European allies to significantly increase defense spending from 2% of GDP to about 5% of GDP.

Democratic Senator Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, blasted the Trump administration this week for “caving” to “Putin’s demands” after Ukraine “fought tooth and nail for its very survival, heroically withstanding barbaric tactics and unspeakable violence from Russia.”

Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said the defense secretary made a ‘rookie mistake.’

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth dodged a question on U.S. aid to Ukraine during a recent press conference. The new Trump Administration official assured reporters that continuing aid to Ukraine was 'not his decision'.

U.S. splits are showing over how to end the war in Ukraine as nuclear fears skyrocket after Chernobyl power plant is hit overnight.

Defense Secretary Hegseth was asked on Friday about the possibility of the U.S. sending troops to Ukraine just after Vice President Vance said the option had not been ruled out.

Vance left the door open to sanctions against Russia and even U.S. troops on the ground if Russia doesn't negotiate in good faith