President Donald Trump stated on Friday, July 31st, 2026, that the United States has not agreed to allow Ukraine to build Patriot missiles, though discussions are ongoing. He emphasized the need for caution in sharing such advanced weaponry, saying the US must be “very careful about letting somebody build them.”

Earlier in July, during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey, Trump had indicated he would grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors to defend against Russian attacks. However, he has since withdrawn from that commitment despite hosting Zelensky at the White House earlier this week.

At a cabinet meeting held at the Camp David retreat, Trump reiterated concerns about transferring missile technology, describing it as “a hard thing to give away.” He noted that Zelensky desires both Patriots and Tomahawks, calling them lethal weapons—one offensive and one defensive—but warned about the risks of sharing such technology, stating, “there’s people that you give that technology, they can someday turn on you.”

Trump also explained the speed of the Patriot interceptor missile, saying it travels at “8,600 miles an hour,” adding, “If you go 60, it gets to be a little fast.”

An expert analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies highlighted that two-thirds of the Pentagon’s Patriot interceptors have been used, which may have prompted a $58.6 billion army contract with Lockheed Martin to replenish supplies, alongside a recent White House request to Congress for additional emergency funding.

The Camp David meeting occurred a day after Trump announced what he called a “historic” agreement for Hamas to disarm and for Israeli forces to withdraw from Gaza, a claim not yet confirmed by Israel. An Israeli official stated that no withdrawal from the so-called Yellow Line will happen before Hamas fully disarms, with opposition voiced by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition—details Trump did not address.

Sources