Pete Hegseth Attacks Iran War Coverage, Compares Journalists To Pharisees

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a Pentagon briefing to attack press coverage of the war on Iran, accusing journalists of focusing on “negative narratives” and “impugning” U.S. actions.

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Al Jazeera

In Washington, Al Jazeera reported that Hegseth praised what he described as “historic success” by U.S. troops and “incredible battlefield victory,” while criticizing the press for “focusing only on negative narratives.”

Al Jazeera

The Washington Examiner described Hegseth’s rant as comparing journalists to “pharisees” from the Bible, saying, “I sat there in church, and I thought our press are just like these pharisees.”

The Hill likewise reported that Hegseth complained about an “endless stream of garbage” and compared the Pentagon press corps to the Pharisees, saying “Sometimes it’s hard to figure out what side some of you are actually on.”

HuffPost echoed the same core remarks, quoting Hegseth accusing reporters of publishing an “endless stream of garbage” and saying “our press are just like these Pharisees.”

Across outlets, the framing was consistent: Hegseth cast the press as hostile to President Donald Trump’s war effort, and he tied that critique to his religious analogy.

While attacking the media, Hegseth also tied his remarks to the operational posture of the Iran war, with multiple outlets describing a ceasefire and a naval blockade.

The Washington Examiner said “Operation Epic Fury advances as a tentative two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran remains in effect,” and it identified “A U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, blocking access to Iranian ports” as a “key point of tension right now.”

Deadline

In that same account, Hegseth warned the Islamic regime that the U.S. military was prepared to resume fighting if necessary, saying, “If Iran chooses poorly, then they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power, and energy.”

The Hill similarly placed the briefing in the context of “a two-week ceasefire with Iran and in the midst of an naval blockadeon the Strait of Hormuz.”

Al Jazeera’s report also framed the briefing as part of the war’s ongoing narrative, describing Hegseth’s praise of “historic success” and “incredible battlefield victory” by U.S. troops.

Masrawy added a different operational detail, reporting that Hegseth said, “We have gained air and maritime control over Iran without the need for ground forces, something the media ignores,” and it cited CNN for that claim.

Hegseth’s remarks combined biblical analogy with direct threats of renewed force, and outlets quoted multiple versions of his statements.

“Defense Secretary Pete Hegeth disparaged the press during a press briefing on the war with Iran, accusing reporters of publishing an “endless stream of garbage” and likening them to people in the Bible who sought to destroy Jesus”

HuffPost

The Hill reported that Hegseth said, “The Pharisees — the so-called and self-appointed elites of their time — they were there to witness, to write everything down, to report,” and it added that he told reporters “reporters “are just like these Pharisees,” as “politically motivated animus for President Trump nearly completely blinds you from the brilliance of our American warriors.”

The Independent described Hegseth’s briefing as “weirdly religious,” quoting him saying, “This is not a fair fight,” and also quoting his warning that Iran would have “blockades and bombs falling on infrastructure, power and electricity” if they didn’t sign a deal.

The Washington Examiner likewise quoted Hegseth’s warning that “The world watched, and so did you, as the U.S. military moved seamlessly from major combat operations to a world-class blockade,” and it included his pledge that “We can make that transition again, very quickly and even more powerfully than ever.”

HuffPost reported Hegseth said, “I would ask you to open your eyes to the goodness, the historic success of our troops,” and it also quoted him invoking “miracles” as part of his framing.

Irish Star quoted Hegseth’s operational posture as “We are reloading with more power than ever before,” and it paired that with “We are locked and loaded. We'd rather not have to do it, but we're ready to go at the command of our president and at the push of a button.”

The administration’s attacks on media coverage of the Iran war expanded beyond Hegseth’s remarks, with Axios-linked reporting describing threats to broadcast licenses and direct targeting of specific coverage.

The Al-Sharq report said Trump’s administration “has escalated its attack on American media over their coverage of the Iran war,” citing Axios, and it described FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatening “the possibility of revoking broadcast licenses from some channels.”

Independent Journal Review

It quoted Carr’s accusation that outlets were publishing “distortions and news tricks that do not serve the public interest.”

That same report said Carr’s remarks came “a day after sharp criticisms leveled by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth toward the media during a briefing on the war,” and it added that Hegseth targeted CNN, criticizing “a report based on multiple sources that said the U.S. administration had downplayed the likelihood of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic.”

The Al-Sharq report also said Hegseth suggested entrepreneur David Ellison's acquisition of the network could be a positive step, and it tied that to a regulatory fight, noting “Paramount is seeking to complete a deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, the owner of CNN, a deal that would require regulatory approval from the Trump administration.”

Deadline reported that “Last week, a federal judge ruled that Hegseth’s press restrictions violated the Constitution,” and it described the Pentagon’s attempt to move reporter workspaces “outside the building itself.”

The sources also show reactions from religious and political figures, and they connect the media fight to broader escalation narratives.

“Hegseth loses it over Iran war coverage as he makes bizarre biblical comparison of reporters Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used biblical imagery to describe the American press, calling them "unpatriotic" and condemning their "endless stream of garbage”

Irish Star

HuffPost reported that “Minutes after Hegseth’s briefing, Pope Leo XIV spoke out against manipulating religion in a statement on X,” quoting the pope: “Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.”

Irish Star

Deadline similarly said that “In the same hour as Hegseth’s press conference, Pope Leo posted on X,” repeating the same warning and adding that it was “an excerpt from a speech the pontiff gave in Cameroon on Thursday.”

The Washington Examiner described how Hegseth’s remarks were part of a pattern of “increasingly used his position to promote his combative, controversial brand of Christianity,” and it said he had “continuously clashed with the press more than a year into his tenure.”

Masrawy framed the broader stakes as escalation pressure, reporting that Hegseth warned of “a wave of even harsher attacks in the coming days,” saying: “We will intensify our attacks on Iran in the period ahead,” and it linked that to “Israeli-American strikes targeting strategic and sensitive sites.”

Even where outlets differed in tone, the common thread was that Hegseth’s rhetoric—about “garbage” coverage, “Pharisees,” and “historic success”—was treated as part of a larger confrontation involving war operations, press access, and religious symbolism.