Secretary of War Pete Hegseth unloaded a preemptive attack on congressional critics of the Iran war.
“The biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans two months in,” Hegseth said in his opening remarks at a House committee hearing.
Hegseth said the defeatist attitude was “the biggest adversary” in a passionate speech. AFP via Getty Images An Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) firing a Tomahawk land attack missile in support of Operation Epic Fury on March 1, 2026. US NAVY/AFP via Getty Images “Lest I remind you, and my generation understands, how long we were in Iraq, how long we were in Afghanistan, how long we were in Vietnam. [We are] two months in on an existential fight for the safety of the American people. Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb. We are proud of this undertaking. I am proud that President Trump has had the courage to do it.”
Hegseth called Trump the “best negotiator in the world” before taking questions from congressmen.
