The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee thinks Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made a “rookie mistake” earlier this week when he undercut Ukraine’s bargaining position with Russia before peace talks have even started.

Wicker went on to compare Hegseth’s remarks to something far-right commentator Tucker Carlson would have written. Carlson received backlash for his interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin last year and has baselessly accused the Biden administration of trying to “kill” the leader.

Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker has said Pete Hegseth made a “rookie mistake” in his comments about Ukraine in a speech at NATO HQ. Pro-Ukraine Wicker, who backed Hegseth when allegations that he liked to drink on the job surfaced,

Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said the defense secretary made a ‘rookie mistake.’

Pete Hegseth stoked a row with his recent remarks on Ukraine, stating that the war-torn nation should let go of its aspirations to join the NATO.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth doubled down on remarks he made at NATO this week about the terms of a potential Ukraine-Russia peace deal, saying his job was simply to "introduce realism to the conversation.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made a “rookie mistake.” This explains his statement that Ukraine's return to pre-war borders is unrealistic, said Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker, according to Politico.