Secretary of War Pete Hegseth declared war on the media Wednesday as he claimed making tragic deaths in the Iran war “front page news” makes President Donald Trump “look bad.”
At least six American servicemembers have been killed in Operation Epic Fury since Saturday.
Since then, Iranian counterstrikes have occurred throughout the region, including on U.S. assets.
In a joint news conference Wednesday morning,
Hegseth opened with a hyperbolic ode to the “death and destruction” being wrought by U.S. air power.
Hegseth accused the “fake news” of trying to “make the president look bad” by prominently reporting on American deaths.
“When a few drones get through, or something tragic happens,” he said.
Mediaite speculated the latter may also have been referring to the strike that allegedly killed more than 150 children and is “under investigation.”
“This is not a mission-accomplished situation. This is simply a reality check,” Hegseth said.
“The combination of U.S. And Israeli intelligence and combat power will control Iran and will control it soon.”
“Sure, Iran will still be able to shoot some missiles and still be to launch one-way attack drones at civilian targets, and their proxies will attempt to attack our embassies, bases and soft targets.
They are terrorists, after all. And they need to target civilians because they can’t fight toe-to-toe.
But we will find them, and we will kill them,” he continued.
Hegseth then urged the media, of which he was once a member, to “try for once to report the reality.”
“This is what the fake news misses. We’ve taken control of Iran’s airspace and waterways without boots on the ground. We control their fate,” Hegseth said. “But when a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it’s front-page news.”
“I get it, the press only wants to make the president look bad, but try for once to report the reality,” he continued.
“The terms of this war will be set by us at every step. As I said Monday, the mission is laser-focused.
Obliterate Iran’s missiles and drones and facilities that produce them, annihilate its Navy and critical security infrastructure, and sever their pathway to nuclear weapons. Iran will never possess a nuclear bomb, not on our watch. And this is why President Trump’s moral clarity on Iran today is so vital,” he added.
