'You want Trump not to be successful': US defence secy furious at media over coverage of Iran strikes

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth strongly criticised US media’s coverage of the recent military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, accusing several outlets of misreporting the operation’s effectiveness.

Hegseth took aim at what he described as "fake news," and alleged that certain news organisations were deliberately downplaying the success of the strikes.

In a pointed exchange, Hegseth disputed reports suggesting the US operation failed to significantly damage Iran’s nuclear capability. Calling such claims untrue, he read excerpts from Israeli and American sources that asserted the contrary.

Holding up the documents, he questioned, “If any of these quotes made their way into The New York Times or The Washington Post, MSNBC, CNN?”

He further accused members of the press of political bias, saying, “Because you—and I mean specifically you, the press corps—cheer against Trump so hard. It's like in your DNA and in your blood to cheer against Trump, because you want him not to be successful so bad. You have to cheer against the efficacy of these strikes. You have to hope maybe they weren't effective.”

Hegseth also urged media outlets to report more on Trump’s diplomatic efforts, including NATO’s recent agreement on the 5% military spending pledge. However, his main focus remained on what he described as selective and negative reporting regarding the Iran operation.

Labeling some outlets as being more interested in “hunting for scandals” and “trying to find wedges,” he firmly defended the military operation’s results: “Destroyed, defeated, obliterated—choose your word, this was a historically successful attack.”

Responding to a question about why the administration was now sharing more information post-strike, Hegseth cited what he called “irresponsible reporting based on leaks.”

“When someone leaks something, they do it with an agenda,” he said. “That is what has changed.”

The defense secretary was also pressed on whether enriched uranium had been moved from Iran’s Fordow facility prior to the strikes. Satellite imagery captured before the operation showed trucks positioned outside the site, raising questions about possible removal efforts.

Initially asked by one reporter, Hegseth replied: “There's nothing that I've seen that suggests that what we didn't hit exactly what we wanted to hit, in those locations.”

When questioned again by Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin on whether he was certain uranium hadn’t been moved, he responded: “Of course, we're watching every single aspect.”