Overview
- Current and former officials say the nickname, a jab likening him to Vietnam-era Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, has spread inside the building along with talk of the Iran fight as “Hegseth’s war.”
- President Trump publicly tied Hegseth to the decision to strike Iran, saying, “Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up. You said, ‘Let’s do it.’”
- Hegseth has used hardline language in recent appearances, saying “We negotiate with bombs” and telling Iran’s leaders “You have a choice, as we loiter over the top of Tehran.”
- The Independent reports Hegseth prayed at a Pentagon worship service for “overwhelming violence of action” against enemies, a line critics seized on as further proof of his zeal for force.
- Reports describe the campaign entering a fourth week with U.S. casualties, including figures of 13 dead and 232 wounded cited by Raw Story without specified sourcing, as multiple outlets echo details first published by the Zeteo/First Draft Substack.