Hegseth Accuses Media Of Damaging President’s Image

[Abdulwahid]

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday criticized media coverage of the Iran conflict, claiming it portrays the president negatively.

Speaking during a Pentagon press briefing, Hegseth revived his familiar criticism of what he described as "fake news," arguing that some outlets emphasize U.S. service member casualties in ways that "make the president look bad." His remarks introduced a partisan tone into the wartime update.

Hegseth maintained that media reports overlook what he described as key military achievements, stating that the U.S. has "taken control of Iran's airspace and waterways without boots on the ground." He suggested that isolated setbacks, including a recent Iranian drone strike in Kuwait that killed six service members, receive disproportionate attention.

"When a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it's front page news," he said, adding that coverage often fails to reflect what he considers the broader operational reality. He stressed that the direction and terms of the conflict "will be set by us at every step."

While many mainstream outlets have reported extensively on the air campaign, Hegseth has a history of criticizing the press — including during his previous role as a host on Fox News.

During the briefing, questions largely came from right-leaning outlets such as The Daily Wire and LindellTV, though he also took a question from a reporter with the BBC. Observers noted that he sidestepped several challenging questions from other reporters.

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