Trump Denies U.S. Role in Ukraine’s Use of Long-Range Missiles Following WSJ Report

Former President Donald Trump denied a Wall Street Journal report claiming his administration approved Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia. The WSJ cited U.S. officials who said the Trump administration lifted restrictions on Western-supplied weapons to Kyiv earlier this month.

• Trump wrote on Truth Social that the story was “FAKE NEWS,” asserting that the U.S. “has nothing to do with those missiles” or Ukraine’s decisions on their use.
• The WSJ reported that Ukraine recently used British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to hit a Russian explosives plant in Bryansk.
• According to the report, authority for approving such strikes shifted from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the top U.S. commander in Europe.
• U.S. officials told the Journal that the policy change allows Ukraine to conduct more cross-border strikes using missiles that rely on U.S. targeting data.
• The White House said Trump is focused on pressuring Russia toward peace talks and reaffirmed that he negotiated a NATO weapons purchase agreement.

Relevant Companies

• Boeing Co. ($BA) — Produces components for U.S. missile systems, including Atacms and Tomahawk variants.
• Lockheed Martin Corp. ($LMT) — Manufacturer of the Army Tactical Missile System (Atacms) used by Ukraine.
• Rolls-Royce Holdings ($RR) — Supplies engines and propulsion technology for the British Storm Shadow missile.

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. This article may be updated as more details become available.