Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ignited strong criticism after a contentious interview with “60 Minutes” correspondent Major Garrett on Sunday, March 8, 2026, where the former Fox News host made inflammatory remarks about the U.S. war with Iran that opponents called “grotesque” and dangerous.
The segment, airing in Season 58, Episode 23 of the CBS newsmagazine, examined the conflict in its second week and tackled President Trump’s demand for “unconditional surrender” from Tehran. The installment, titled “Targeting Americans; Secretary Hegseth,” prompted immediate widespread backlash.
One highly disputed exchange came when Garrett asked if Russian assistance—supplying Iran with intelligence on U.S. movements in the area—could place American personnel “in more danger than they otherwise would be.” Hegseth’s reply alarmed viewers and commentators.
Hegseth responded that no one was putting them in danger; instead, he said, they were the ones endangering others, which he characterized as their role. He added that the only people who should worry were Iranians who expected to survive.
The comment drew harsh rebukes from critics who said it amounted to a blanket threat against the Iranian population rather than being aimed at combatants or regime figures. Journalist Laura Jedeed wrote on Bluesky that Hegseth singled out “not ‘terrorists,’ not ‘radicals,’ not even ‘Islamists.’ ‘Iranians.'”
The interview also questioned whether Iran posed an immediate threat to the United States when President Trump launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28. The joint U.S.-Israeli strike killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in its opening action and, according to the Pentagon, has since hit over 3,000 targets inside Iran. Hegseth appeared to dismiss doubts about the operation’s justification.
Garrett examined the lead-up to the operation, noting intelligence about Khamenei’s location had been supplied via Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The reporter suggested the timing pointed to opportunity, not an imminent danger.
Hegseth called such concerns “silly and academic,” citing what he described as 47 years of Iranian attacks on Americans dating back to the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He referenced Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 U.S. mission that targeted Iran’s nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan using B-2 stealth bombers and Tomahawk missiles. Officials said the operation “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program, though international monitors estimate Iran still holds over 970 pounds of near–bomb-grade uranium.
Hegseth said Iran should have conceded early on, acknowledging the severity of the situation and agreeing to abandon nuclear ambitions, but it did not. He said the president views the threat as a growing long-term danger.
Veterans and military analysts voiced dismay at Hegseth’s tone in the interview. Former service members criticized his rhetoric as unprofessional and harmful to the military’s image. Opponents accused the Defense Secretary of showing a callous disregard for human life.
The episode consisted of two parts, the first covering a controversial probe into Havana Syndrome before moving to the Hegseth interview. The show can be streamed on CBS and Paramount+.
Hegseth, 45, was confirmed as Defense Secretary on January 24, 2025, in a narrow 51-50 vote that required Vice President JD Vance to cast the tie-breaking vote—only the second time a vice president determined a Cabinet confirmation. Three Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Mitch McConnell—joined all Democrats in opposing his nomination amid allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement, and heavy drinking.
During the interview, Hegseth discussed the operation’s scale and casualties, including nine American deaths. Human Rights Activists in Iran report more than 1,600 Iranians killed, including 168 people—mostly children—at a girls’ school in southern Iran struck during the campaign.
When asked if U.S. forces were responsible for the school strike, Hegseth said only, “We’re still investigating.” He stressed that “unlike our adversaries, the Iranians, we never target civilians.”
Hegseth also asserted that the Iranian Navy “is largely no more” and cautioned that the military campaign is far from finished. “What I want your viewers to understand is this is only just the beginning,” he said. “We have more munitions than we need.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed the U.S. demand for surrender as “a dream that they should take to their grave.” Hegseth, however, insisted Iran would be compelled to yield. “This is war. This is conflict. This is bringing your enemy to their knees,” he said. “Whether they will have a ceremony in Tehran Square and surrender, that’s up to them.”
As of Tuesday, March 10, neither the White House nor the Defense Department had issued further comments clarifying or retracting Hegseth’s remarks. Defense officials said Tuesday would be the “most intense day” of strikes against Iran since the operation began.
