Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is calling out the liberal media, slamming CNN and The New York Times for what he calls a deliberate campaign to mislead the public about U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear program. Hegseth defended the Trump-approved mission as a joint success backed by Israeli intelligence and airtight American strategy.

Media Under Fire

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth didn’t hold back during a June 26 Pentagon briefing, accusing left-wing media outlets of intentionally minimizing the impact of President Trump’s coordinated airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Hegseth called out CNN and The New York Times by name, claiming their reporting was blatantly political and out of step with verified intelligence.

“The instinct of CNN and The New York Times is to spin it—to hurt President Trump and this country,” – Pete Hegseth

He emphasized that early intelligence showed critical infrastructure at Fordow and Natanz was severely crippled, not “barely scratched” as reported by legacy outlets.

Intel Agencies Back Hegseth

CIA Director John Ratcliffe reinforced Hegseth’s statements, saying the destruction to Iran’s enrichment capabilities was far worse than media suggested. He confirmed that the Fordow nuclear facility suffered catastrophic damage, likely setting back Iran’s uranium enrichment timeline by years.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to hold a press conference on Thursday to discuss the effectiveness of US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, coming after CNN, citing a classified assessment, said that the bombing did not significantly hamper the facilities and set back… pic.twitter.com/E3eUd1v2AT

— The New Region (@thenewregion) June 26, 2025

President Trump also weighed in, crediting Israeli forces with confirming total destruction. “Israel’s guys went in there and said it was total obliteration,” he said, referring to post-strike intelligence gathered on the ground.

Media’s Narrative Crumbles

CNN and The New York Times both reported that the strikes had limited effect and caused only temporary disruption to Iran’s nuclear efforts. But with both U.S. and Israeli intelligence contradicting those claims, critics argue these outlets are prioritizing anti-Trump bias over facts.

Trump is once again indicating his inability to handle criticism

Grok

– The post critiques Trump’s reaction to criticism, linking his behavior to potential narcissistic and sociopathic traits, supported by a 2019 study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology that… https://t.co/vqE1acKTzo

— American Veteran (@amvetsupport) June 25, 2025

Even Iran’s own foreign ministry hinted at the severity of the damage, acknowledging “long-term setbacks” to several installations—an unusual admission from the regime.

Public Misled Yet Again

The clash between trusted military intel and legacy media spin has left many Americans questioning who to believe. As Hegseth and Ratcliffe present a unified national security assessment—and Trump drives the message home—the narrative being pushed by the mainstream media looks increasingly out of sync with reality.

With Iran vowing retaliation and tensions still rising, the need for accurate reporting and public trust has never been more critical. Hegseth’s warning rings loud: “Don’t let the media write their own version of the truth.”

Sources:

Hegseth slams media over reports on effectiveness of Iran nuclear site strikes

‘Better Get a Big Shovel’: Fuming Pete Hegseth Drops a Bunker Buster on Mainstream Media’s Iran Attack Narrative