Pete Hegseth Blasts 'Fake News' CNN During Heated Press Conference 

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth lashed out at CNN during a Pentagon press briefing on Friday morning, March 13, labeling the network's reporting as "fake news" and "fundamentally unserious.”

The combative defense secretary’s comments were a disturbing departure from the typically apolitical statements provided to the press and public by the Pentagon.

The former Fox News host has faced intense scrutiny for overturning Pentagon standards, pushing a highly partisan "America First" agenda, and politicizing military operations.

He has been criticized for challenging traditional rules of engagement, promoting "maximum" force, and managing scandals involving sensitive information leaks.

The latest confrontation centered on CNN's coverage of the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Hegseth dismissed a CNN report claiming the Trump administration had underestimated the impact of the Iran war on the Strait of Hormuz.

He called the report "patently ridiculous," asserting that military leaders have anticipated and managed threats to the waterway for decades.

Hegseth controversially urged for a "patriotic press" to use headlines like "Iran shrinking, going underground" instead of reporting on a "widening" war. He accused news outlets of intentionally writing headlines to make the president and the U.S. military look bad.

“Some in this crew, in the press, just can’t stop. Allow me to make a few suggestions. People look up at the TV and they see banners. They see headlines. I used to be in that business. And I know that everything is written intentionally,” Hegseth snapped.

“For example, a banner or a headline, ‘Mideast War intensifies,’ splashing on the screen the last couple of days alongside visuals of civilian or energy targets that Iran has, because that’s what they do. What should the banner read instead? How about ‘Iran increasingly desperate?’ Because they are. They know it, and so do you, if it can be admitted,” he added.

He then fired at the news outlet, saying, “Or more fake news from CNN. ‘Reports that the Trump administration underestimated the Iran War’s impact on the Strait of Hormuz.’”

He continued lashing out at the cable news network, calling them, “Patently ridiculous, of course. For decades, Iran has threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This is always what they do: hold the straight hostage. CNN doesn’t think we thought of that. It’s a fundamentally unserious report.”

The petulant Pentagon leader explicitly voiced support for David Ellison, the CEO of Paramount Skydance, who recently reached a deal to acquire CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.

Hegseth stated, "The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.”

Hegseth also criticized CNN for broadcasting statements from Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, arguing it provided a platform for a "murderous regime.”

A CNN spokesperson stated that the network stands by its reporting on the Iran conflict.

Despite Hegseth's comments, Ellison has publicly insisted that CNN will maintain its editorial independence once the merger is finalized.

The verbal attack comes amid heightened tensions, as Hegseth has recently tightened press access at the Pentagon, including barring photographers from briefings and imposing stricter reporting rules.