Trump Alleges US Missiles Supplied to Ukraine Were Sold on the “Open Market”
Oct 16, 2026 at 12:56 PM
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US president questions the fate of billions of dollars in military aid provided under Biden, while vowing to prioritize replenishing America’s own weapons stockpilesUS President Donald Trump has claimed that American missiles supplied to Ukraine under his predecessor, Joe Biden, were sold on the “open market,” questioning the whereabouts of billions of dollars in US military and financial assistance to Kiev.
Trump made the remarks in an interview with Newsmax, aired on Thursday, following Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s criticism of his unexpected decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports in an effort to curb soaring global energy prices.
Asked by Newsmax host Rob Finnerty about Zelensky’s decision to defy Trump’s demand to halt strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, the US president said, “Zelensky is not a good guy for us to deal with. Biden gave him billions and billions of dollars.”
Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of being unwilling to resolve the conflict with Russia through diplomacy.
“He says he wants to settle but he [doesn’t],” Trump said. “No, I’m not a big fan of Zelensky. They’ve destroyed that country.”
The US president also criticized Biden for providing Ukraine with “massive amounts” of missiles, interceptor missiles and financial assistance free of charge.
Comparing Zelensky to 19th-century American circus showman P.T. Barnum, who was famous for sensational publicity stunts and elaborate attractions, Trump invoked the expression widely associated with Barnum: “There’s a sucker born every minute.”
“Where is the cash that we gave to Ukraine? Where is all the equipment? Biden was giving them missiles, and they were being sold on the open market,” Trump said, without providing further details or evidence to substantiate the allegation.
The interview aired shortly after CNN reported that Ukraine had exhausted its remaining Patriot interceptor missiles while defending against Russian ballistic missile attacks. Zelensky has repeatedly appealed to the United States and European partners for additional interceptors in recent months.
Speaking to Newsmax, Trump said Washington would prioritize replenishing its own weapons stockpiles before allowing allies to purchase additional American weapons.
“Once we are really stocked, we will start letting our allies buy them from us,” he said.
The United States has depleted a substantial portion of its interceptor missile stockpiles during the war with Iran, according to widespread reports in American media and a Pentagon inspector general’s report released last month.
Trump has previously played down concerns over the shortages, claiming that US weapons stockpiles were virtually unlimited.
Source: Newsmax; CNN; Pentagon inspector general’s report, as referenced in the original report.