The White House blamed "cowardly unnamed sources" for a report the Trump administration "dismissed" a Ukrainian offer in August for technology that downs Iranian-made attack drones, pushing back strongly against claims the decision represented a major tactical misstep.
According to Axios, Ukrainian officials presented the United States with a proposal nearly seven months ago outlining battle-tested technology designed to intercept Iranian-made Shahed attack drones that have become a major threat in modern warfare.
Ukrainian representatives delivered a detailed PowerPoint presentation during an Aug. 18 meeting at the White House attended by President Donald Trump and senior officials.
The presentation warned that Iran was improving the design of its one-way attack drones and suggested establishing "drone combat hubs" in countries such as Turkey, Jordan, and Persian Gulf states where U.S. bases operate.
Ukraine also proposed providing low-cost interceptor drones that it has successfully used to combat the same systems deployed by Russia during the war in Ukraine.
Axios reported that the proposal was not immediately pursued, citing two U.S. officials who characterized the decision as a missed opportunity after Iranian drone attacks intensified during the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran that began Feb. 28.
But the White House forcefully rejected the suggestion that the administration failed to prepare for the threat.
"Iranian retaliatory attacks are down by 90 percent because their ballistic missile capabilities are being totally demolished. This characterization made by these cowardly unnamed sources is not accurate and proves that they are simply outside looking in," deputy press secretary Anna Kelly told Newsmax in an email.
"Secretary [Pete] Hegseth and the armed forces did an incredible job planning for all possible responses by the Iranian regime, and the undisputed success of Operation Epic Fury speaks for itself."
Kelly also emphasized that U.S. forces have largely neutralized Iranian retaliation.
According to administration officials, American and allied defenses have intercepted the overwhelming majority of missiles and drones launched by Iran.
U.S. officials say Iranian retaliatory attacks have dropped dramatically as American strikes degrade Tehran's ballistic missile capabilities.
Still, Iranian-made Shahed drones — inexpensive systems that can cost between $20,000 and $50,000 — pose a persistent challenge for air-defense systems that often rely on far more expensive interceptors.
The drones have been linked to the deaths of seven U.S. service members since hostilities escalated, far below early projections of potential casualties.
Ukraine has developed significant expertise combating the drones during its war with Russia, which has used thousands of Iranian-designed Shahed drones — often rebranded as "Geran" drones — to attack Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
Kyiv has responded by developing lower-cost defenses including electronic jamming, heavy machine gun fire, and interceptor drones.
The New York Times reported Monday that the United States recently requested Ukraine's assistance as drone attacks surged across the Middle East.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv quickly dispatched interceptor drones and a team of specialists to help defend U.S. bases in Jordan.
"We reacted immediately," Zelenskyy said in an interview with the newspaper.
Even so, U.S. officials say the military response to Iran's drone threat has been effective overall.
Washington recently announced plans to deploy its own drone-defense platform, known as the Merops system, while continuing to expand counterdrone capabilities across the region.
The administration has also prioritized broader military modernization to keep pace with adversaries such as Iran, Russia, and China, including new Pentagon initiatives to accelerate drone and counterdrone development.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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