The Pentagon vibrated with an eruption of defiance yesterday as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth launched an all-out verbal assault on what he branded "Trump baiters." ๐ก This fiery defense comes hot on the heels of US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, with swirling reports questioning the administration's bold claim of "complete obliteration." ๐ฅ
Media Under Fire: "You Cheer Against Trump!" ๐บ๐ฅ
Hegseth held absolutely no bars in his passionate defense of the strikes, which the administration hails as a "historic step." He lambasted media coverage, accusing outlets of deliberately undermining a pivotal national security triumph. "You cheer against Trump so hard!" Hegseth reportedly thundered, directly addressing the assembled press corps. ๐คฌ He accused journalists of "missing historic moments" by seeking to "find wedges and spin stories," and asserted that the media was using "half-truths, spun information, leaked information" to "cause doubt and manipulate the public mind." ๐คฏ
"Leaked" Intel Report Ripped Apart! ๐โ๏ธ
At the heart of the controversy is a "leaked" Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report, widely cited by news outlets, suggesting the strikes might have only set back Iran's nuclear program by months, a far cry from the "total destruction" claimed by President Trump. Hegseth, however, swiftly dismissed this as a "preliminary, low confidence" report. ๐ He stressed that final battle damage assessments would naturally take time.
The "Historic" Evidence: Bombs and Bragging! ๐ฃโจ
To bolster his case, Hegseth, alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, showcased striking video footage of a massive bomb slamming into an underground target. ๐น๐ They proudly touted it as the "culmination of over 15 years of development and testing" and irrefutable proof of the mission's "resounding success." ๐
While conceding that "no one's under there able to assess" the precise extent of the damage at deeply buried sites like Fordo, Hegseth adamantly insisted the evidence of "severe damage and destruction" was undeniable. He further cited external intelligence sources, including information from the Israeli government ๐ฎ๐ฑ and a statement from CIA Director John Ratcliffe affirming "severely damaged" facilities, as crucial validation of the strikes' efficacy. โ
A Nation Divided: The "Trump Baiters" Narrative ๐บ๐ธโ๏ธ๐ฎ๐ท
The Secretaryโs impassioned defense underscores the Trump administration's unwavering stance: the strikes achieved their intended goal โ decimating Iran's nuclear capabilities and paving the way for a potential ceasefire. Yet, critics, whom Hegseth broadly painted as "Trump baiters," continue to demand greater transparency and a more objective assessment of the true impact of the military action. The ongoing, fiery debate highlights the deep, persistent divisions within the US political landscape, even in the face of what the administration hails as a decisive foreign policy victory. ๐ค geopolitics ๐ฅ