Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to suggest reporting on the deaths of US troops in Iran is the media “trying to make Donald Trump look bad”. On Sunday (1 March), six US service members were killed during an Iranian drone strike at a command center in Kuwait. Speaking during a press briefing at the Pentagon on Tuesday (4 March), Mr Hegseth claimed that “fake news” outlets were failing to report on the US’s successes in the conflict done “without boots on the ground”. “But when a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it's front page news. I get it - the press only wants to make the president look bad, but try for once to report the reality.”

The defense secretary tried to reimagine America's role in the escalating war with Iran following its deadly strikes on the country over the weekend.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to suggest reporting on the deaths of US troops in Iran is the media “trying to make Donald Trump look bad”. On Sunday (1 March), six US…

The defense secretary bemoaned the “tragic things” that make “front page news.”