Hegseth criticizes media for making US deaths in Iran war front-page news
By: Ellen Mitchell (The Hill)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday bashed media outlets for highlighting the deaths of six U.S. service members killed in an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait as part of Washington's war with Tehran.
Speaking to reporters alongside Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Cain, Hegseth accused the press of trying to "make the president look bad" in calling attention to the attack that targeted a reported triple-wide trailer used as office space by the U.S. military.
"Sure, Iran will still be able to shoot some missiles and still be able to launch one way attack drones at civilian targets, and their proxies will attempt to attack our embassies, bases and soft targets. They are terrorists, after all, and they need to target civilians because they can't fight toe-to-toe," Hegseth said at the Pentagon.
"This is what the fake news misses. We've taking control of Iran's airspace and waterways without boots on the ground. We control their fate. But when a few drones get through or tragic things happen it's front page news. I get it, the press only wants to make the president look bad, but try for once to report the reality."
The Army has released the names of four of the Reserve service members killed Sunday - Capt. Cody A. Khork, Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, and Sgt. DeclanJ. Coady - after an Iranian drone struck their tactical operations center at Shuaiba Port.
Two other service members were killed in the attack though their names have not yet been released pending next of kin notification.
Prior to the attack, military personnel had discussed whether the space should even have been used as too many U.S. troops were concentrated in an area that wasn't defendable, military officials told CBS News.
Officials also said they did not recall hearing warning sirens prior to the strike, giving troops no time to seek shelter.
Hegseth earlier this week said that Iran had attacked with a "powerful" weapon that made it through air defenses.
"You have air defenses, and a lot's coming in, and you hit most of it," Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon on Monday. "Every once in a while, you might have one, unfortunately, we call it a squirter, that makes its way through. And in that particular case it happened to hit a tactical operation center that was fortified, but these are powerful weapons."
Hegseth on Wednesday honored the fallen troops, telling reporters that "we will never forget your sacrifice."
"Our nation stands with you, and we are eternally grateful for your courage, your resiliency, your devotion to this mission and to our nation," he said.
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It's now official. If you report on U.S. casualties you are trying to make Trump "look bad". Just like when Trump didn't want the ship with Covid sufferers to dock in San Francisco because it would make the numbers look bad.
Lyin' Leavitt chimes in:
Hegseth has the chutzpah to chide the press after Trump's 'stolen glory' parade during the State of the Union address? Obviously Hegseth recognizes his neck is on the block if Trump's expectations are not met. Is Hegseth really worried about Trump looking bad or more worried about covering his own backside?
The behavior of late by Trump's cabinet increasingly suggests there could be a cabinet shakeup after the midterm elections.
Such people are self-indulgent 'navel-gazers' seeking to control us and the world. And we, and the world, had better get busy taking their hands off of us!