LIVE: Pete Hegseth holds Pentagon briefing after US strikes on Iran nuclear sites

Well, thank you for joining us this morning. Last night, on President Trump's orders, U.S. Central Command conducted a precision strike in the middle of the night against three nuclear facilities in Iran, Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, in order to destroy or severely degrade Iran's nuclear program. And as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs will demonstrate, it was an incredible and overwhelming success. The order we received from our Commander-in-Chief was focused, it was powerful, and it was clear. We devastated the Iranian nuclear program, but it's worth noting the operation did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people. For the entirety of his time in office, President Trump has consistently stated, for over 10 years, that Iran must not get a nuclear weapon, full stop. Thanks to President Trump's bold and visionary leadership and his commitment to peace through strength, Iran's nuclear ambitions have been obliterated. Many presidents have dreamed of delivering the final blow to Iran's nuclear program, and none could until President Trump. The operation President Trump planned was bold and it was brilliant, showing the world that American deterrence is back. When this president speaks, the world should listen. And the U.S. military, we can back it up. The most powerful military the world has ever known. No other country on planet Earth could have conducted the operation that the Chairman is going to outline this morning, not even close. Just like Soleimani found out in the first term, Iran found out when POTUS says 60 days that he seeks peace and negotiation. He means 60 days of peace and negotiation. Otherwise, that nuclear program, that nuclear capability will not exist. He meant it. This is not the previous administration. The President Trump said no nukes. He seeks peace and Iran should take that path. He sent out a truth last night saying this. Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight, signed the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. Iran would be smart to heed those words. He said it before and he means it. I want to give recognition to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Joint Staff, General Eric Carrillo at CENTCOM, who did a phenomenal job. He and his staff, all of CENTCOM policy across the board. This was a joint effort and across the Pentagon effort. I want to recognize the pilots who flew those bombers, who flew those fighters, who flew those refuelers, warriors. I want to recognize the sailors on those destroyers, in those subs, on those carriers, warriors, all of them. I want to recognize our soldiers doing air defense, base defense, QRF, warriors, all of them. Every American involved in this operation performed flawlessly. And I want to give recognition to our allies in Israel as well. This is a plan that took months and weeks of positioning and preparation so that we could be ready when the President of the United States called. It took a great deal of precision. It involved misdirection and the highest of operational security. Our B-2s went in and out of downtown Tehran, not Tehran, excuse me, of these nuclear sites in and out and back without the world knowing at all. In that way, it was historic. A strike that included the longest B-2 Spirit Bomber mission since 2001 and the first operational employment of the MOP, a Massive Ordnance Penetrator. The mission demonstrated to the world the level of joint and allied integration that speak to the strength of our alliance and our joint forces. As President Trump has stated, the United States does not seek war. But let me be clear, we will act swiftly and decisively when our people, our partners, or our interests are threatened. Iran should listen to the President of the United States and know that he means it. Every word. I want to give congratulations to our Commander-in-Chief. It was an honor to watch him lead last night and throughout, and to our great American warriors on this successful operation. God bless our troops. God bless America. And we give glory to God for his providence and continue to ask for his protection. I turn it over now to the Chairman for specifics. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Thanks for recognizing all of our folks out there doing our nation's work. And nice to see everybody on this early Sunday morning. Last night, on the President's orders, U.S. Central Command, under the command of General Eric Carrillo, executed Operation Midnight Hammer, a deliberate and precise strike against three Iranian nuclear facilities. This was a complex and high-risk mission carried out with exceptional skill and discipline by our joint force. I want to thank every service member, planner, operator that made this mission possible. Their actions reflect the highest standards of the United States Armed Forces. This operation was designed to severely degrade Iran's nuclear weapons infrastructure. It was planned and executed across multiple domains and theaters with coordination that reflects our ability to project power globally with speed and precision at the time and place of our nation's choosing. This was a highly classified mission with very few people in Washington knowing the timing or nature of this plan. I'll refer you to the graphic on the side as I walk you through some of the operational details. At midnight Friday into Saturday morning, a large B-2 strike package comprised of bombers launched from the continental United States. As part of a plan to maintain tactical surprise, part of the package proceeded to the west and into the Pacific as a decoy, a deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington and in Tampa. The main strike package comprised of seven B-2 Spirit bombers, each with two crew members, proceeded quietly to the east with minimal communications. Throughout the 18-hour flight into the target area, the aircraft completed multiple in-flight refuelings. Once over land, the B-2s linked up with escort and support aircraft in a complex, tightly timed maneuver requiring exact synchronization across multiple platforms in a narrow piece of airspace, all done with minimal communications. This type of integration is exactly what our joint force does better than anyone else in the world. At approximately 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time last night and just prior to the strike package entering Iran, a U.S. submarine in the Central Command Area of Responsibility launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles against key surface infrastructure targets at Isfahan. As the Operation Midnight Hammer strike package entered Iranian airspace, the U.S. employed several deception tactics, including decoys, as the fourth and fifth generation aircraft pushed out in front of the strike package at high altitude and high speed, sweeping in front of the package for enemy fighters and surface-to-air missile threats. The strike package was supported by U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Transportation Command, U.S. Cyber Command, U.S. Space Command, U.S. Space Force, and U.S. European Command. As the strike package approached Fordow and Natanz, the U.S. Protection Package employed high-speed suppression weapons to ensure safe passage of the strike package, with fighter assets employing preemptive suppressing fires against any potential Iranian surface-to-air threats. We are currently unaware of any shots fired at the U.S. strike package on the way in. At approximately 6.40 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, 2.10 a.m. Iran time, the lead B-2 dropped two GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator weapons on the first of several aim points at Fordow. As the President stated last night, the remaining bombers then hit their targets as well, with a total of 14 MOPs dropped against two nuclear target areas. All three Iranian nuclear infrastructure targets were struck between 6.40 p.m. and 7.05 p.m. Eastern Time. Again, that's about 2.10 in the morning local time in Iran. With the Tomahawk missiles being the last to strike at Esfahan to ensure we retain the element of surprise throughout the operation, following weapons release, the Midnight Hammer Strike Package exited Iranian airspace and the package began its return home. We are unaware of any shots fired at the package on the way out. Iran's fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran's surface-to-air missile systems did not see us. Throughout the mission, we retained the element of surprise. In total, U.S. forces employed approximately 75 precision-guided weapons during this operation. This included, as the President stated last night, 14 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators, marking the first-ever operational use of this weapon. I know that battle damage is of great interest. Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction. More than 125 U.S. aircraft participated in this mission, including B-2 stealth bombers, multiple flights of 4th and 5th generation fighters, dozens and dozens of air refueling tankers, a guided missile submarine, and a full array of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as hundreds of maintenance and operational professionals. As the Secretary said, this was the largest B-2 operational strike in U.S. history and the second-longest B-2 mission ever flown, exceeded only by those in the days following 9-11. Well prior to the strike, General Carrillo elevated force protection measures across the region, especially in Iraq, Syria, and the Gulf. Our forces remain on high alert and are fully postured to respond to any Iranian retaliation or proxy attacks, which would be an incredibly poor choice. We will defend ourselves. The safety of our service members and civilians remains our highest priority. This mission demonstrates the unmatched reach, coordination, and capability of the United States military. In just a matter of weeks, this went from strategic planning to global execution. This operation underscores the unmatched capabilities and global reach of the United States military. As the President clearly said last night, no other military in the world could have done this. I join the President and the Secretary in being incredibly proud of the air crews, naval forces, cyber operators, planners and support teams, and commanders who made this mission possible. It is their skill, discipline, and teamwork that makes this operation possible. I am particularly proud of our discipline related to operational security, something that was of great concern to the President, the Secretary, General Carrillo, and me, and we will continue to focus on this. As we stand here this morning, many assets are still airborne and we have hundreds deployed. I ask that we keep our warfighters on their way home and our deployed service member in our thoughts. Our joint force remains ready to defend the United States, our troops, and our interests in the region. Thank you very much. We will take a few questions. So is regime change off the table, Mr. Secretary? And to the Chairman, you said the battle damage assessment is still ongoing, but do you believe that some nuclear capability in Iran remains? This mission was not and has not been about regime change. The President authorized a precision operation to neutralize the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear program and the collective self-defense of our troops and our ally, Israel. Thanks for your question. I think BDA is still pending and it would be way too early for me to comment on what may or may not still be there. But thanks for the question. Green. No, behind you. Excuse me, Mr. Secretary. Can you tell me, was there a particular moment when the President decided to pull the trigger on this operation where he said, now, rather than being, you know, something in the holster, now we're going to pull the trigger on it? I would just say having the opportunity to witness his leadership. He was fully committed to the peace process, wanted a negotiated outcome, gave Iran every single opportunity, and unfortunately was met by stonewalling, which is why he gave them plenty of time to continue to come to the table and give up enrichment, give up the nuclear program. But there was a, I won't say the particular moment, there was certainly a moment in time where he realized that it had to be a certain action taken in order to minimize the threat to us and our troops. Yeah. General, you say that General Karula increased force protection in Iraq, Syria, and Gulf and those areas. Were they given any advance warning the attacks were coming? And also, Mr. Secretary, when were congressional leaders notified? How long before the attacks took place? Sir, to your first question, you know, the risk has clearly been rising over the last few weeks in the region. Based on that, and not a particular awareness of this operation, we've made smart decisions to minimize the risk to U.S. forces in the region. No advance warning? No, sir. And congressional? They were notified after the planes were safely out. Well, we complied with the notification requirements of the War Powers Act. After the attacks, they were notified? They were immediately thereafter. Yes. Thank you, Secretary. Two quick questions. Do you believe you completely destroyed Iranian nuclear program? And how about Iranian ballistic missiles? Your ally, Israel, always saying that is biggest threat. And second question is very important. What will be your next step if Iran or militias under Iranian influence in the region attack U.S. interests or allies in the region? And you can chime in on this too, Mr. Chairman. The battle damage assessment is ongoing. But our initial assessment, as the chairman said, is that all of our precision munitions struck where we wanted them to strike and had the desired effect. Which means especially in Fordow, which was the primary target here, we believe we achieved destruction of capabilities there. Ultimately, wherever it may be, whether it's in Iraq or Syria or bases in the Gulf, as the president said it would be, or excuse me, as the chairman said, it would be a very bad idea for Iran or its proxies to attempt to attack American forces. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Regarding retaliations, Iran and North Korea are cooperating on nuclear and missile development. Do you think there is a possibility that Iran, North Korea, and the other forces, such as China, will join forces to retaliate against the United States? Well, unfortunately, because of the policies under the previous administration, we drove those countries together and ultimately that creates a challenging environment. For this particular operation, the focus is on Iran and Iranian nuclear capabilities. That's our focus here, is to not just say that they can't have, but President Trump has said from over 20 years, frankly, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. And ultimately he decided this is the moment, given their stonewalling, when direct military action had to be taken to prevent that from happening. Yes. Thank you very much. General McCain, I understand OPSEC, I respect OPSEC, can you say at all what security procedures are being taken to protect U.S. troops in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East? And Secretary Hegseth, as a global war on terrorism veteran, what do you say to veterans who may be concerned the U.S. is getting into another open-ended war in the Middle East over weapons of mass destruction? Thanks, sir, for the question. I won't comment on what force protection measures are being taken in the region. What I will say is we're being proactive and not reactive and being very thoughtful about ensuring that we do all that we can to protect our forces out there. And I would just say, as the President has directed and made clear, this is most certainly not open-ended. It doesn't mean it limits our ability to respond. We will respond if necessary. The most powerful military in the world is postured and prepared to defend our people. But what the President gave us, as I said, was a focused, powerful, and clear mission on the destruction of Iranian nuclear capabilities. Those were the targets. That's what was struck. That was overwhelming. That's what was overwhelming. That's what the Iranian regime needs to understand, as the President put out last night. He wants peace. There needs to be a negotiated settlement here. We ultimately demonstrated that Iran cannot have a nuclear capability. That is a very clear mission set on this operation. Yes, hold on. Yes, right there. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. A question for the Secretary and the Chairman. How was this strike coordinated with the Israelis on a strategic level, militarily, and on a tactical level? Was there any direct Israeli military participation in this operation? Well, I would say certainly Israel had an incredible military success, especially at the beginning and ongoing, in degrading Iranian capabilities, degrading Iranian launchers, MRVMs. It's been incredible to watch what our ally Israel has been able to do. And there certainly have been conversations. I mean, General Kirill at CENTCOM has worked closely in the defense of Israel for many years. And part of this operation was the defense of Israel and the ongoing defense of Israel. But as it pertains to this strike, this was U.S.-operated and U.S.-led. We took advantage of some of the preparatory work that's been done over the past week and a half in terms of axis of approach. I won't get into the particulars, but as the Secretary said, it was a U.S. strike. We made sure we were not in the same piece of airspace and sky. Aside from that, that was the extent of it. We'll take a couple more. Yeah, right there. Question to the Secretary first. Are you concerned whatsoever now about the reaction from U.S. allies given the strike, particularly those in the Gulf? And to the Chairman, if I may, I understand you don't want to speak to specific assets and force protection measures, but do you anticipate at least having to bring in any further assets from other theaters to aid and force protection over the coming days? We certainly understand the challenges of allies in the region, and we have been respectful and working in collaboration with them as it pertains to basing and sensitivities there. Ultimately, they've got a lot of assets and people in those locations also where American troops are co-located. So that's a consideration of ours. We've been in close consultation with them, and we appreciate the support that we have got. Thanks for the question on sort of the global picture. And as you know, that's one of my jobs is to look globally at the entire range of challenges. We are always carefully considering our force posture around the world and then offering options to the Secretary and to the President. I won't comment on any future things, but the American people should know that we carefully consider those moves around the world and try to modulate as needed our force structure in the region. Absolutely. Yeah, right here. Thank you. What communications are being sent to the Iranians right now, and is there any possibility of diplomacy now or in the coming days? I can only confirm that there are both public and private messages being directly delivered to the Iranians in multiple channels, giving them every opportunity to come to the table. They understand precisely what the American position is, precisely what steps they can take to allow for peace, and we hope they do so. Yes. The President may not want an open-ended conflict. The Iranians may disagree. Are you prepared for a protracted war? Well, anything can happen in conflict. We acknowledge that. But the scope of this was intentionally limited. That's the message that we're sending, with the capabilities of the American military nearly unlimited. So Iran, in that sense, has a choice. But we've made it very clear to them, this is nuclear sites, this is nuclear capabilities, this is the line that the President set, and we set that back. Now is the time to come forward for peace. But I think one of the takeaways from this as well is the unprecedented level of ongoing cooperation. I can't speak highly enough of the Chairman and his staff, and General Karilla in CENTCOM, what they've done to look around the corner, to preposition, to understand how an operation like this comes together. The scope and scale of what occurred last night would take the breath away of almost any American if you had an opportunity to watch it in real time. And I think Tehran is certainly calculating the reality that planes flew from the middle of America and Missouri overnight, completely undetected over three of their most highly sensitive sites, and we were able to destroy nuclear capabilities. And our boys in those bombers are on their way home right now. We believe that'll have a clear psychological impact on how they view the future. And we certainly hope they take the path of negotiated peace. But I could not be more proud of how this building operated, of the precision, the sensitivity, and the professionalism of the troops involved in this effort. I will take one more. We'll take one more question. Yes, right there. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Concerning the justification for these strikes, in March, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released their threat assessment, concluding, quote, Iran is not building a nuclear weapon, and Khomeini has not authorized the nuclear programs he suspended in 2003, unquote. So what new intelligence does the U.S. have since then that the Iranians have changed their position on nuclear weapons? And does this new intelligence come from U.S. sources and methods, or are we getting this information from other countries? Well, I would just simply say that the President's made it very clear. He's looked at all of this, all of the intelligence, all of the information, and come to the conclusion that the Iranian nuclear program is a threat, and was willing to take this precision operation to neutralize that threat in order to advance American national interests, reduce the Iranian nuclear program, and obviously collective self-defense of ourself and our allies. So he looked at all of it, understood the nature of the threat, and took bold action I think the American people would expect in a Commander-in-Chief. That's all we've got. Thank you very much. Appreciate it, Mr. Chairman.