President Donald Trump on Thursday evening defended Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth against a Washington Post story he called 'completely fake,' praising the operation in Venezuela that brought Nicolás Maduro to justice and stating that Iran's nuclear program has been 'hit hard' with 'things progressing well.' Trump accused the Post of 'treason' for publishing the report.
President Donald Trump on Thursday evening published a statement defending Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and accusing the Washington Post of publishing a 'completely fake' story. Trump expressed satisfaction with Hegseth's performance, citing the operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, and claimed that Iran's nuclear program has been 'hit hard' with 'things progressing well.' He called the Post's report 'treason.'
The statement comes as the Trump administration continues military operations against Iran and maintains a naval blockade. The president has previously asserted progress on Iran's denuclearization on multiple occasions, as The Zioneer has reported. The specific Washington Post story that Trump denounced was not detailed in his remarks.
Hegseth, who has spearheaded the 'Operation Epic Fury' campaign against Iran, has been a frequent target of media criticism. Trump's defense of his defense secretary reaffirms the administration's commitment to its 'negotiating under fire' strategy.
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