Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, gave a press conference Monday morning to lay out the rationale of the administration’s strikes on Iran.
Hegseth said, “Iran was building powerful missiles and drones to create a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions,” and argued this wasn’t a war about regime change. “But the regime sure did change…”
Hegseth said Iran was waging war against the United States for “47 long years.”
“If you kill Americans, if you threaten Americans anywhere on Earth, we will hunt you down without apology and without hesitation, and we will kill you,” Hegseth said.
Hegseth said they were not concerned with “stupid rules of engagement” like their traditional pearl-clutching allies.
General Dan Caine
Regarding the death of four U.S. service members, Caine aligned his remarks with Trump’s claim that “there will likely be more before it ends.”
He also addressed the loss of three F-15s shot down overnight by friendly Kuwaiti air defense systems.
Hegseth says the best defense is a good offense.
Hegseth answers more stupid questions: