US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has accused the media of failing to highlight what he described as major successes in America’s military campaign against Iran. Hegseth made the remarks during a press conference held with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He said news outlets were not presenting the conflict in a positive way and even suggested how television networks should frame their coverage.

“What should the banner [on TV] read? How about ‘Iran increasingly desperate’?” he said. The defence secretary’s comments reflected growing tension between the US administration and several media organisations covering the conflict.

Journalist raises concerns about press access

During the briefing, a journalist present at the event said that they and other print photographers had been denied access to the press conference. The journalist claimed officials barred them from entering because some photographs previously taken of Hegseth were considered “unflattering.”

The allegation added to the criticism about restrictions placed on certain media representatives during official briefings.

Hegseth targets CNN during briefing

Hegseth also singled out the US news network CNN during the press conference. He said, “The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.”

David Ellison, a businessman known to have ties with US President Donald Trump, is widely viewed as the leading contender to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN. Reports suggest Ellison has told officials in the Trump administration that he would introduce major changes at the network if the acquisition is completed.

US says Iran’s military capabilities weakened

Speaking about the conflict, Hegseth said Iran’s military strength has been significantly reduced after weeks of American strikes. He added that President Trump “holds the cards” when it comes to deciding the timing and scale of the ongoing military campaign.

According to Hegseth, the United States remains determined as it prepares to carry out what could become its largest wave of strikes on Iranian targets so far.

Missile and drone stockpiles sharply reduced

The defence secretary said Iran’s weapons capability has taken heavy damage during the fighting. He claimed that Iran’s missile stockpiles have dropped by nearly 90 percent. He also said the country’s one-way attack drone inventory has fallen by about 95 percent as of Thursday.

Hegseth described Iran’s remaining military arsenal as severely weakened.

Strait of Hormuz tensions continue

Hegseth also commented on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime routes for oil shipments. “The only thing prohibiting traffic in the strait at the moment is Iran shooting at shipping,” he said.

He stressed that the United States has contingency plans ready and would not allow the strategic waterway to remain under threat.

US vows to block Iran’s nuclear ambitions

Hegseth reaffirmed that preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons remains a top priority for the United States. He said denying Tehran the capability to build a nuclear weapon continues to be a central objective of the US military campaign.

Hegseth comments on deadly aircraft crash

The defence secretary also addressed the deaths of four American service members after a refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq. The aircraft involved was a KC-135 Stratotanker used for aerial refuelling operations. Reflecting on the incident, Hegseth said the tragedy highlighted the harsh realities of conflict.

“War is hell. War is chaos. And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen,” CNN quoted Hegseth as saying.