Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced sharp backlash after a heated interview with “60 Minutes” correspondent Major Garrett on Sunday, March 8, 2026. Hegseth, formerly a Fox News host, made provocative comments about the U.S. conflict with Iran that critics labeled “grotesque” and dangerous.
The segment aired during Season 58, Episode 23 of the CBS newsmagazine, looked at the conflict in its second week and addressed President Trump’s call for “unconditional surrender” from Tehran. The segment, titled “Targeting Americans: Secretary Hegseth,” quickly sparked broad criticism.
One contentious moment came when Garrett asked whether Russian help—providing Iran with intelligence on U.S. movements—might put American personnel “in more danger than they otherwise would be.” Hegseth’s answer alarmed viewers and commentators.
Hegseth replied that no one was putting Americans in danger. Instead, he said, Americans were the ones putting others at risk, which he framed as their role. He added that only Iranians who expected to survive should be concerned.
The remark drew strong denunciations from critics who argued it sounded like a blanket threat against Iran’s populace instead of targeting combatants or regime leaders. Journalist Laura Jedeed wrote on Bluesky that Hegseth singled out “not ‘terrorists,’ not ‘radicals,’ not even ‘Islamists.’ ‘Iranians.'”
The interview also probed whether Iran posed an immediate threat to the U.S. when President Trump launched Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28. The joint U.S.-Israeli strike killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in its initial action and, the Pentagon says, has since struck over 3,000 targets inside Iran. Hegseth dismissed questions about the operation’s justification.
Garrett reviewed the events leading up to the operation, noting that intelligence about Khamenei’s whereabouts had been provided via Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The reporter suggested the timing hinted at an opportunity rather than an urgent threat.
Hegseth called such concerns “silly and academic,” pointing to what he described as 47 years of Iranian attacks on Americans since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He referenced Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 U.S. mission that struck Iran’s nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan using B-2 stealth bombers and Tomahawk missiles. Officials claimed the operation “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program, although international monitors estimate Iran still retains more than 970 pounds of near–bomb-grade uranium.
Hegseth said Iran should have surrendered earlier, recognizing the seriousness of the situation and abandoning its nuclear aims, which it did not. He said the president sees the threat as a mounting, long-term danger.
Veterans and military analysts expressed dismay at Hegseth’s tone. Former service members criticized his rhetoric as unprofessional and damaging to the military’s reputation, and opponents accused the Defense Secretary of a callous disregard for human life.
The episode consisted of two segments, beginning with a controversial inquiry into Havana Syndrome before moving to the Hegseth interview. The show is available to stream on CBS and Paramount+.
Hegseth, 45, was confirmed as Defense Secretary on Jan. 24, 2025, by a narrow 51-50 vote that required Vice President JD Vance to cast the tie-breaking vote—only the second time a vice president broke a Cabinet confirmation tie. Three Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Mitch McConnell—joined all Democrats in opposing his nomination amid allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement, and heavy drinking.
In the interview, Hegseth discussed the operation’s scale and casualties, including, at the time, seven American deaths. Human rights groups in Iran report more than 1,600 Iranians killed, including 168 people—mostly children—at a girls’ school in southern Iran hit during the campaign.
When asked if U.S. forces were responsible for the school strike, Hegseth replied only, “We’re still investigating.” He emphasized that “unlike our adversaries, the Iranians, we never target civilians.”
Hegseth also claimed that the Iranian Navy “is largely no more” and warned that the campaign is far from over. “What I want your viewers to understand is this is only just the beginning,” he said. “We have more munitions than we need.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed the U.S. demand for surrender as “a dream that they should take to their grave.” Hegseth, however, maintained Iran would be forced to yield. “This is war. This is a conflict. This is bringing your enemy to their knees,” he said. “Whether they will have a ceremony in Tehran Square and surrender, that’s up to them.”