Trump states Patriots ‘very expensive’
(MENAFN) U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed concern over the high cost and limited availability of Patriot surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems, following a Ukrainian request for an additional unit. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump acknowledged the request but emphasized that Patriots are “very rare” and “very expensive,” adding, “We’re gonna have to take a look.” He also criticized the high financial burden of aiding Ukraine, calling it unfortunate that the U.S. is forced to spend so much money.
Throughout his presidency, Trump has accused former President Joe Biden of giving Ukraine unrestricted access to American weapons. His latest comments come as debate continues in Washington over the scale and pace of support for Kiev.
Meanwhile, U.S. defense contractor Raytheon, which manufactures the Patriot system, announced plans to increase production of PAC-2 GEM-T missiles by 150% by 2028 to meet growing demand. As of early 2024, only around 240 missiles were produced annually, with each unit reportedly costing about $4 million.
Earlier this week, Axios reported that the U.S. had pledged to supply Ukraine with additional Patriot systems, although the number is expected to be small. This followed a recent Pentagon decision to temporarily pause arms shipments to Ukraine as part of a capability reassessment. However, on Monday, Trump appeared to reverse the aid suspension.
The shifting U.S. stance has drawn criticism from the Kremlin. Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov pointed to the inconsistent messaging from Washington and suggested that the U.S. is struggling to manufacture enough Patriot missiles to meet demand. This view aligns with recent comments by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who admitted in May that production can’t keep up with needs.
Trump also reiterated that Biden had severely depleted U.S. stockpiles by sending large quantities of weapons to Ukraine. Data from Germany’s Kiel Institute indicates that the U.S. has provided roughly $115 billion in military and financial aid to Ukraine since the conflict intensified in 2022.
Russia continues to denounce Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, arguing that they prolong the war, fail to alter its outcome, and increase the risk of wider escalation.
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