- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth transformed a Pentagon briefing on US operations against Iran into a lengthy tirade against the free press on Thursday.
- He accused journalists of producing an "endless stream of garbage" and "relentlessly negative coverage” of the war, deeming their reporting "unpatriotic" toward the Trump administration and military efforts.
- Hegseth criticized the press for supposedly mischaracterizing reports on the Biden administration’s Afghanistan withdrawal, claiming they sought to "explain away" the chaotic exit.
- He compared journalists to biblical Pharisees, suggesting they possessed "hardened hearts" and were blinded by animosity towards President Trump.
- The Secretary complained that reporters were not focusing on the "historic success of our troops" or the "courage of this President" in relation to a potential deal with Iran.
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