Pete Hegseth Chides Former Fox News Colleague Jennifer Griffin As 'About The Worst' During Defense Secretary's Press-Bashing Briefing
The purpose of the press conference, in which Hegseth was joined by Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appeared to be to push back on a report earlier this week. CNN reported on a Defense Intelligence Agency initial assessment that Iran's nuclear program was not fully destroyed by the U.S. strikes and likely set it back only months. Other news outlets followed with similar stories.
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Griffin, the chief national security correspondent at the Pentagon, asked Hegseth whether he had 'certainty that all the highly enriched uranium was in the Fordow mountain, or some of it, because satellite photos showed there was more than a dozen trucks there two days in advance. Are you certain none of that highly enriched uranium was moved?'
Hegseth responded, 'Of course, we're watching every single aspect, but Jennifer, you've been about the worst, the one who misrepresents the most intentionally what the president says.'
Griffin then noted that she 'was the first to describe the B2 bombers, the refueling, the entire mission, with great accuracy. So I take great issue with that.'
Earlier this week, Griffin also reported on the early intelligence assessment from the DIA, but she also noted that the report was given a 'low confidence' level.
Before he became Defense Secretary, Hegseth was co-host on Fox & Friends Weekend.
Trump and others in the administration have attacked CNN and other outlets over their reporting on the DIA report, going so far to say that it demeans the members of the military who carried out the mission. But a number of news outlets have noted that the reports could change.
Trump has claimed that Iran's nuclear sites were 'obliterated' and, like Hegseth, has cited other assessments and statements. But the full impact of the U.S. bombing strikes is still being studied.
At the start of his press conference, Hegseth complained that the DIA assessment was 'leaked because someone had an agenda to try and muddy the waters and make it look like this historic strike wasn't successful.'
'You cheer against Trump so hard, in your DNA and in your blood, cheer against Trump because you want him not to be successful so badm you have to cheer against the effciacy of these strikes,' Hegseth said.
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