Pete Hegseth menaces CNN over its Iran reporting during Pentagon press bash-fest

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth interrupted his Pentagon press briefing on Friday morning to bash the press, taking particular aim at CNN and urging an ownership change.

After opening by complaining the press was not willing to “admit” the success of his Iran war planning, he later added, “They see headlines. I used to be in that business, and I know that everything is written intentionally. For example, a banner or a headline ‘Mideast War Intensifies,' splashing on the screen the last couple of days, alongside visuals of civilian or energy targets that Iran has hit. Because that's what they do.”

“What should the banner read instead? How about Iran ‘increasingly desperate’ because they are,” he lectured. “They know it, and so do you ... more fake news from CNN reports that the Trump administration underestimated the Iran war's impact on the Strait of Hormuz — patently ridiculous, of course. For decades, Iran has threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This is always what they do hold —the strait hostage.”

“CNN doesn't think we thought of that,” he accused. “It's a fundamentally unserious report. The sooner [Paramount’s] David Ellison takes over that network, the better. Another example of a fake headline that I saw yesterday: ‘War widening.’ Here's a real headline for you, for an actual patriotic press. How about ‘Iran shrinking, going underground?’"

Hegseth: "Another example of a fake headline that I saw yesterday -- 'War widening.' Here's a real headline for you for an actual patriotic press. How about, 'Iran shrinking.'"

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) March 13, 2026 at 5:18 AM