Hegseth's Years of Aggressive Rhetoric Against Iran Resurface in Media Archive
Controversial US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has a long history of fierce hostility toward Iran, with his aggressive rhetoric resurfacing through book quotes and past video appearances. Hegseth has consistently framed Tehran as America's mortal enemy, using vivid language to describe the Islamic Republic as a dire threat to Western interests.
Biblical Language and War Rhetoric in Pentagon Briefings
In recent Pentagon briefings, Hegseth has become the public face of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, speaking emphatically about his desire to "crush the enemy." He described Iran's theocratic regime as "barbaric savages" who are "desperate and scrambling," while boasting that "Iran stands alone and they are badly losing." The defense secretary, a devout Christian with ties to nationalist pastors, has reportedly cast bombing campaigns in Biblical terms, ending one briefing by quoting Psalm 144: "Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle."
Long History of Iran Hawkishness Documented
As an Afghanistan and Iraq veteran and former Fox News weekend host, Hegseth's animosity toward Iran dates back years. In 2014, he appeared on Fox News' The Kelly File to lambast President Barack Obama over the Iran nuclear deal, accusing the administration of "willful blindness" in assuming "that somehow now we're dealing with moderates in Iran." His criticism continued through subsequent years, with Hegseth consistently positioning Iran as an existential threat.
Octopus Metaphor and Regional Commentary
In 2018, Hegseth appeared at a media conference in Jerusalem hosted by Arutz Sheva, where he likened Iran to a malign octopus with "many tentacles that the Iranian regime has in the world today, nefariously both for Israel and for the United States." He accused Iran of building "a nuclear capacity which threatened the very existential existence of America" and again rebuked Obama's nuclear deal as "horrific," insisting it created "an inevitable path to nuclear weapons." At the same event, he made controversial comments about Europe, referring to it disparagingly as "a museum soon to be drowned out by radical Islam."
Book Revelations and Ideological Framework
Hegseth's 2020 book, American Crusade: Our Fight to Stay Free, contains particularly vitriolic passages about Iran. He declared: "America is not at war with Islam, but we are always at war with Islamists. Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State, the Taliban, Iran, and the likes are the latest manifestations of an Islamist movement that has no plans to 'coexist.'" He further argued that these entities "seek land, they seek power, they seek demographic and political advantages, and they actively seek the military means – especially nuclear weapons – to bring the West to its knees." The book also contains criticism of Saudi Arabia, despite its status as a key American ally, noting its "oil money funds radical, anti-Western Islamic schools (madrassas) and mosques across."
Media Appearances Reinforce Consistent Position
Following the January 2020 assassination of Quds commander Qasem Soleimani, Hegseth appeared on Fox Business to crow: "Iran should be worried today that maybe we will do something again. Maybe your second general is next if you continue to try to kill Americans... We are the top dog. You respond to us, not the other way around." Days later, on Fox and Friends, he stated: "Whether we leave Iraq or not should be done on our terms and based on how we stare down Iran and their ability to get a nuclear bomb... right now could be the time to cripple their ability to do it." These appearances reinforce his consistent positioning of Iran as a primary adversary requiring forceful American response.
Ideological Alignment with Israel
Hegseth's rhetoric consistently aligns US and Israeli interests against Iran. In his book, he writes: "If you love America, you should love Israel. We share history, we share faith, and we share freedom... Israel is enemy number one for both Islamists and international leftists – which is reason alone to love it." This ideological framework underpins his current approach to the conflict, viewing support for Israel as integral to American security interests against what he perceives as Iranian aggression.
