Trump rejects reports over Hegseth clash, praises military
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Trump defends Hegseth over reports of discontent.
- Praises military actions and leadership.
- Credits Hegseth with recruitment gains and DEI cuts.
- Accuses Washington Post of false reporting.
US President Donald Trump publicly reaffirmed his full support for War Secretary Pete Hegseth, dismissing media reports regarding internal administration friction as "completely unfounded" and labeling press coverage of the matter "treasonous."
Writing on his social media platform, Truth Social, President Trump pushed back against reporting from mainstream news outlets, asserting that Hegseth enjoys widespread respect within the military and has delivered exceptional operational results.
"The Fake News, as usual, is spreading false and completely unfounded rumors," Trump wrote. "I am extremely happy with the job that Pete Hegseth is doing. Everything has been extraordinary."
Praise for Venezuela operation and military action against Iran
In his post, President Trump highlighted major foreign policy and military operations under Hegseth's tenure as proof of effective leadership.
Specifically, Trump pointed to the recent U.S. action in Venezuela, stating that the objectives were achieved rapidly and resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, whom he described as "one of the worst criminals anywhere in the World."
Trump also referenced military operations targeting Iran, declaring that the campaign to neutralize Tehran's nuclear ambitions is progressing effectively:
"Likewise, Iran, where the country has been decimated for the purpose of NOT ALLOWING IT TO EVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, is going very well!" Trump posted.
Focus on Pentagon reforms
Beyond overseas military engagements, President Trump lauded Hegseth's internal management of the War Department.
He credited the War Secretary with restoring military standing, eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs across military branches, and boosting armed forces recruitment to historic highs.
Closing his statement, President Trump placed the blame for recent reporting directly on The Washington Post -referring to the paper as "The Washington ComPost"- and accused media outlets of publishing stories they knew to be false.
"This rumor was started by The Washington ComPost, one of the worst Media Outlets in the business, despite our telling them their story is completely FALSE," Trump stated. "In actuality, I really believe their fake 'reporting' is treasonous!"
