The U.S. doesn't have an "unlimited checkbook" with Ukraine, and what President Donald Trump is "trying to do now is the lightest touch possible to send the message to" Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt.
"This starts with the leaders of Europe's outright rejection of President Trump's leadership to end this war and encourage President Zelenskyy to fight on," Holt told Newsmax's "America Right Now."
"The thing is ... if he wants to fight on to some point where there's a block point to get to a negotiation, OK, great. But that's not what this is. What this is is keep sending weapons. They want up to 10 Patriot batteries, $28 billion.
"We don't even have the interceptors for that. Logistically, though, there's another layer," he added.
"The other layer is our own readiness here at home and our commitments around the world. We just don't have an unlimited checkbook here.
"Even if there were no constraints on money, there are constraints on production and materiel. And that's what we've been saying for three years. It's not an unlimited logistics river. Those are realities," Holt said.
"And what President Trump is trying to do now is the lightest touch possible to send the message to Zelenskyy and the European leaders: 'Look, you got to find a different path. If you don't like my path, come up with a different one. But Russia's pressing a military advantage, and they're not interested in talking anymore. They're interested in imposing terms.'"
Trump said Thursday that the United States provided too many weapons to Ukraine under the previous administration, his first public comments on the pause in some shipments as Russia escalates its latest offensive.
Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One for a flight to Iowa, Trump said former President Joe Biden "emptied out our whole country giving them weapons, and we have to make sure that we have enough for ourselves."
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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