Hegseth condemns media for “cheering against” Trump rather than celebrating historic Iran strikes
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon on June 26, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
OAN Staff Blake Wolf 9:34 AM – Thursday, June 26, 2025
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth slammed the mainstream media for “cheering against” President Donald Trump rather than covering the “historically successful attack” on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Hegseth also criticized the media for reporting on a leaked preliminary report on the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), which indicated that the U.S. strikes may have only set back Iran’s nuclear program by a few months.
“You, the press, specifically you, the press corps, because you cheer against Trump so hard,” Hegseth stated. “It’s like in your DNA and in your blood to cheer against Trump because you want him not to be successful so bad. You have to cheer against the efficacy of these strikes. You have to hope maybe they weren’t effective.”
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Hegseth went on to argue that the media is intentionally “spinning” the leaked information in order to “manipulate” the American people.
“Maybe the way the Trump administration is represented isn’t true. So let’s take half truths, spun information, leaked information, and then spin it,” Hegseth stated. “Spin it in every way we can to try to cause doubt and manipulate the mind, the public mind, over whether or not our brave pilots were successful.”
“What’s really happening is you’re undermining the success of incredible B-2 pilots and incredible F-35 pilots and incredible refueling and incredible air defenders who accomplished their mission, set back a nuclear program in ways that other presidents would have dreamed,” Hegseth added.
🚨 BREAKING: SecDef Pete Hegseth stares right at the press and goes scorched earth, spelling out their insanity. I could watch this all day.
"You, and I mean specifically YOU, the press, you cheer against Trump so hard, it's in your DNA and in your blood to cheer against Trump,… pic.twitter.com/nmazQcUP8a
Hegseth’s comments were in reference to the U.S. strikes carried out on Saturday evening which targeted three nuclear sites including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan utilizing GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs, also known as “bunker buster” bombs.
President Trump also had harsh criticism for the “Failing New York Times and Fake News CNN” reporters “who made up the FAKE stories on the Iran Nuclear sites because they got it so wrong.”
Trump followed up Hegseth’s conference, adding: “One of the greatest, most professional, and most ‘confirming’ News Conferences I have ever seen! The Fake News should fire everyone involved in this Witch Hunt, and apologize to our great warriors, and everyone else!”
Additionally, President Trump shut down the theory that Iran moved enriched uranium out of the facility as multiple trucks were seen lined up outside of the facility on satellite imagery prior to the attack.
“The cars and small trucks at the site were those of concrete workers trying to cover up the top of the shafts. Nothing was taken out of facility. Would take too long, too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!”
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