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As a result, the president is constantly repeating misleading information, an official told The Washington Post.
Officials have told The Washington Post, unease has emerged within the Trump administration about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s optimistic assessments of the ongoing military campaign in Iran
A Trump official, speaking anonymously, told the newspaper, “Pete is not speaking truth to the president,” warning that the messaging risks leaving President Donald Trump “repeating misleading information.”
The conflict, now in its sixth week, has seen the U.S. and Israel strike more than 13,000 targets, according to U.S. Central Command. Trump has escalated rhetoric, warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if tensions continue.
Growing skepticism
Hegseth has repeatedly described Iran’s military capabilities as severely degraded. According to The Independent, he said, “Iran has no air defenses. Iran has no air force. Iran has no Navy,” in a March breefing.
He also claimed missile launches had dropped by 90 percent and drone activity by 95 percent.
Trump echoed that message in a recent address, stating Iran’s forces were “in ruins” and its strike capacity “dramatically curtailed.”
However, events on the ground appear to challenge that narrative. Iran shot down a U.S. F-15E fighter jet last week, triggering a search operation. Trump later confirmed one missing airman had been recovered injured.
Kelly Grieco of the Stimson Center told The Washington Post the incident reflects the limits of U.S. control, saying it occurs “when you have air superiority but don’t have air supremacy.”
Official response
The Pentagon has rejected the criticism. Spokesman Sean Parnell told The Independent the military is delivering “a crippling series of blows” and is “ahead of schedule.”
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly added that Trump “always had the full picture of the conflict.”
Despite those assurances, tensions remain high. Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil route, and Trump has threatened further escalation if no agreement is reached.
Sources: The Washington Post, CNN, Time, The Independent
