Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used his own son on Thursday to argue in support of Donald Trump’s war in Iran.
The 45-year-old father of seven was giving a press briefing at the Pentagon when he brought up one of his kids in his prepared opening remarks.
“My 13-year-old son popped into my office last night while I was editing these remarks,” Hegseth said. “He asked about the war and the families I met at Dover, and I looked at him, and I said, ‘They died for you, son, so that your generation doesn’t have to deal with a nuclear Iran.’
“It’s the truth,” he emphasized.
On Wednesday, Hegseth joined the president, Speaker Mike Johnson, and others to pay their respects at Dover Air Force Base as the bodies of the six U.S. service members killed in the crash of a refueling aircraft were returned to their families.
It was the second time the president had attended a dignified transfer since the start of the war. Hegseth also attended a third dignified transfer earlier this month with Vice President JD Vance.
The total number of U.S. casualties in Operation Epic Fury stands at 13, while about 200 U.S. service members have been wounded in the ongoing conflict.
While press cameras were not present at Wednesday’s dignified transfer at the request of the families, the White House posted a series of photos on social media showing administration members paying their respects.
On Thursday, Hegseth opened his remarks by talking about those killed in the Iran war so far, something he had largely avoided addressing in his past briefings. He also shared what he claimed were messages from the families.
“Yesterday at Dover Air Force Base, President Trump, the chairman, and I stood in solemn silence as heroes came home, flag-draped caskets. We honored them, we grieved with their families, and we listened,” Hegseth opened his remarks.
“What I heard through tears, through hugs, through strength, and through unbreakable resolve, was the same from family after family. They said, ‘Finish this. Honor their sacrifice. Do not waver. Do not stop until the job is done.’”
During his briefing on Thursday, Hegseth would not say how long the war would continue, but he insisted that it was progressing as expected.
“Well, we wouldn’t want to set a definitive time frame on that, but as we’ve said, we’re on plan,” the Pentagon chief said.
However, he also appeared to indicate that the Defense Department was asking for $200 billion for the war, confirming the bombshell report on Wednesday, suggesting it was a costly operation, roughly double the cost of one year of the war in Iraq.
