President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was angry about settling the Iran war.
Trump was taking press questions after swearing in new Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in the Oval Office when he gave a frank response about the status of the ongoing military conflict in the Middle East, which has now reached its fourth week and left 13 troops dead and 232 service members wounded.
This was the second time in two days that Trump had punted the blame to Hegseth over the war. On Monday, during a visit to Tennessee, Trump claimed that Hegseth urged him to pursue joint military strikes with Israel on Iran.
"I don’t want to say this, but I have to. I said to Pete and General Caine, I think this thing [the war] is going to be settled very soon. They said, 'Oh, that’s too bad.' Pete didn’t want it to be settled," Trump said.
Political commentator Brian Krassenstein shared the video on X, saying, "In other words our Sec. of War doesn't want peace, he wants war."
Several other people commented on social media after the president's remarks.
"Caine getting tossed under the bus for good measure now too. Dude is just out here blaming everyone lmao," commentator Bill DeMayo wrote on X.
"Trump trying to spread blame like butter on toast," progressive commentator Bill Johnson wrote on X.
BREAKING: Trump just said that Pete Hegseth was angry that there may be a settlement in the Iran war. He said that Hegseth doesn’t want it to be settled.
"I don’t want to say this but I have to… Pete didn’t want it to be settled."
In other words our Sec. of War doesn't… pic.twitter.com/LcbAagDFHw
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) March 24, 2026