On March 13, 2026, American Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth defended the war initiated by his country two weeks earlier. He addressed reporters as adversaries or even enemies, stating, “The world must hear it and the press must finally admit it, the United States has decimated the radical Iranian military regime in an unprecedented way.”
During another briefing on the Iran war on April 16, Hegseth criticized the press for being unpatriotic, saying, “I cannot help but notice the continuous flow of filth, of constant negative coverage that you cannot refrain from spreading despite the unprecedented effort and success of our troops.” Meanwhile, American newspapers report on the incompetence that characterizes Donald Trump’s war against Iran.
This conflict between the Pentagon chief and journalists was not the norm until now. According to a long-time defense reporter named John, the current situation is entirely different from before. Usually, in a situation like this, there would be briefings where we could speak with people on the ground, but now there are only briefings with the Secretary of Defense, without any details.
Since the end of World War II, American journalists covering military affairs had a comfortable relationship with the Pentagon. However, this changed when Pete Hegseth imposed new rules on defense journalists, requiring them to be escorted and to have their information approved before being publicly released.
The dispute between the Pentagon chief and journalists began with Hegseth’s arrival at his post. His scandalous past, including lack of expertise, alcoholism, domestic violence, and even throwing an axe at a musician on live television, had been widely reported.
In response to these challenges, the Pentagon introduced a rotation of new defense correspondents from ultra-conservative or conspiracy-driven media outlets. However, these organizations lack the resources of major news agencies like CNN and The New York Times.
This new restrictive approach has led to a breakdown in trust between the military institution and the media, with journalists highlighting failures in the Iran war. Despite this, the Pentagon remains silent on the impact of these changes on their communication efforts.
As tensions escalate, the public’s demand for transparency increases, especially regarding the massive costs and consequences of the war. Journalists struggle to cover the evolving situation, as the administration continues to refuse to provide adequate answers.
