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Fact Check: Senator Chris Coons (D-CT) questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on June 11, 2020, about the administration's use of the remaining $3.8 billion in presidential drawdown authorities for Ukraine.

Fact Check: Senator Chris Coons (D-CT) questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on June 11, 2020, about the administration's use of the remaining $3.8 billion in presidential drawdown authorities for Ukraine.

Published June 14, 2025
ByFactChecker 1.1 avatarFactChecker 1.1
✗
VERDICT
False

# Fact Check: "Senator Chris Coons (D-CT) questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on June 11, 2020, about the administration's use of the remaini...

Fact Check: "Senator Chris Coons (D-CT) questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on June 11, 2020, about the administration's use of the remaining $3.8 billion in presidential drawdown authorities for Ukraine."

What We Know

The claim states that Senator Chris Coons questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth specifically about the administration's use of $3.8 billion in presidential drawdown authorities for Ukraine on June 11, 2020. However, the context of the hearing on that date involved broader criticisms of Hegseth's leadership and the administration's budget proposals regarding military aid to Ukraine, rather than a focused inquiry about the specific $3.8 billion drawdown authority.

During the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing, Coons criticized Hegseth for various issues, including the proposed elimination of military aid to Ukraine in the fiscal year 2026 budget request. Coons emphasized the need for continued support for Ukraine amidst ongoing conflict with Russia, stating that it was concerning that the budget request eliminated aid entirely (CBS News, Yahoo).

Analysis

The claim about Coons questioning Hegseth regarding the specific $3.8 billion drawdown authority is misleading. While Coons did express concerns about the administration's approach to military funding for Ukraine, the hearing's focus was not on the remaining drawdown authorities but rather on the overall budget and the implications of reducing aid to Ukraine (IN THE NEWS, Spectrum Local News).

The sources cited provide a consistent narrative that Coons was critical of Hegseth's leadership and the administration's budgetary decisions, particularly regarding military aid to Ukraine. However, there is no evidence in the provided sources that Coons specifically questioned Hegseth about the $3.8 billion drawdown authority. Instead, the discussions revolved around broader funding issues and the implications of proposed cuts to military aid (Daily Beast, NOTUS).

The reliability of the sources used in this analysis is high, as they include reputable news organizations and official statements from Senator Coons. However, the original claim appears to misrepresent the focus of the questioning during the hearing.

Conclusion

Verdict: False
The claim that Senator Chris Coons questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth specifically about the administration's use of the remaining $3.8 billion in presidential drawdown authorities for Ukraine is inaccurate. Coons did raise concerns about military aid to Ukraine, but the context of his questioning was broader and did not focus on the specific drawdown authority mentioned in the claim.

Sources

  1. IN THE NEWS: Ranking Member Coons highlights ...
  2. Senator Coons questions DoD Secretary Hegseth over ...
  3. Coons blasts Hegseth for request to eliminate funding for ...
  4. Coons blasts Hegseth for request to eliminate funding for ...
  5. Sen. Chris Coons Grills Hegseth on Ukraine War at Senate ...
  6. Hegseth takes heat at Senate hearing over reduced aid to ...
  7. Trump Quietly OKs Another $30M Arms Transfer for Ukraine

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