'Very notable' Pete Hegseth behavior flagged by CNN host: 'Most defensive we've seen'

CNN's John Berman reacted to Friday morning's press briefing by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine on the war in Iran.

The defense secretary complained about media coverage of the war and offered suggestions for framing stories that he based on his previous career as a Fox News host, and he specifically targeted CNN for reporting that the Trump administration had underestimated Iran's capacity to shut down shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

"More fake news from CNN," Hegseth griped. "The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better."

Paramount CEO David Ellison, an ally of President Donald Trump, is set to acquire CNN's parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, and Berman took a swipe at the defense secretary after the briefing ended.

"Very notable press briefingfrom the secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, and the chair ofthe joint chiefs, Dan Caine," Berman said. "Iwould say the most defensive wehave seen Pete Hegseth in any ofthese briefings. He led off notwith mentioning the four airmenlost over Iraq and the refuelingtanker, although he did get tothat ultimately. Dan Caine ledwith that, but the secretary ledwith an attack on the press."

"Ithink most notably in terms ofwhere things stand in the conflict, the secretary wastalking a great deal about the Strait of Hormuz and the factthat there is really almost noshipping passing through, andthe reports that the United States, I think, may be behind indealing with this," Berman added. "The secretarysaid that Iran is operating withdesperation in the strait. Hesaid the United States isdealing with it, the United States has been dealing with it,and most notably, the secretarysays we don't need to worryabout it."

Co-host Kate Bolduan said the situation in the strait was described with a bit more nuance by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"The joint chiefschairman was asked about it, aswell, and Gen. Dan Caine very clearly described Hormuz asa tactically complexenvironment," Bolduan said, "and he saysbefore, I think, we want to takeanything through there at scale, we want to make sure we do thework pursuant to our currentmilitary objectives, to do thatsafely and smartly. Just on theheels of President Trump sayingin a new interview with Fox News, telling tankers that theyshould 'show some guts' and juststart moving through because he says the strait is safe."

Berman added that Hegseth also responded to statements made by Energy Secretary Chris Wright in an interview with Bolduan the previous day.

"I think also responding verynotably to the secretary ofenergy's interview with youyesterday, Kate, where thesecretary said we are not yetready to escort the tankersthrough," Berman said. "Neither the secretarynor the chair did anything todispute that. The chair, quitethe opposite, noting that Iranstill very much hascapability in the strait there."