CNN's Brian Stelter called out Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for using religion to justify attacks on the free press.
The Pentagon chief focused much of his weekly update Thursday morning on attacking media coverage of the Iran war, but Stelter told "CNN News Central" that Hegseth seemed to be "doubling down" on President Donald Trump's self-aggrandizing use of religious language.
"Hegseth revealed howhe's feeling with four words," Stelter said. "He said, 'I just can't help,' andthen he went on his rant againstthe press. He said, 'I can't justhelp, I can't help myself.' Hehad to get it out, and that'sbeen true from the secretary ofdefense over and over and overagain during this war. He alwaysseems to need to let out hisanger and bitterness about the American media, which is soweird because he was a member ofthe media for decades."
"You know,he was a host on Fox News," Stelter added. "Heknows how the media works. Heknows the reality about how thiswar has been covered. He knowsthe American media hascelebrated U.S. military victories and has pressed formore information in order totell those stories more fully."
Stelter noted with alarm that Hegseth has been leaning even harder into the religious language he's been using to frame the conflict, which the media analyst said was made even more alarming by the president seemingly doing the same.
"But it's really notable todayhow he seems to be speaking interms of a holy war," Stelter said. "It'sinteresting, too, this coming onthe same week that Trumpdepicted himself as Jesus. Butthe insinuation from Hegseth wasthat doubting Trump or beingskeptical of the war is likedoubting Christ. He'sessentially making it sound liketo question the war is toquestion the true will of God."
"He's doubling down on theblasphemy of Trump likeninghimself to Jesus," he continued. "So I, as a Christian, I found it deeplyoffensive to hear this morning,as someone who wrote two booksabout Hegseth's old home, Fox News, it struck me as justreally insecure and as ajournalist, I just find myselfwondering if you have such anamazing story to tell aboutmilitary victories, why don'tyou tell it more fully? Whydon't you share more video,open up more soldiers and airmenand marines to interviews? Whydon't you provide more accessto the press in order to be ableto tell those stories?"
"He seemsmore inclined to use these press conferences to portray himselfas a warrior in a battle of goodversus evil, with the pressbeing evil," Stelter added. "But I think wealways have to remind ourselvesin these conversations thatevery single poll we've seen inthe United States showswidespread opposition to the war,and the messaging coming fromthe White House and the pentagonhas not changed that, and Iwonder if that's really what'sso frustrating for Hegseth.American people are not with himon this crusade, and nothingthat he has said from thesepodiums has changed that for thelast almost two months."