Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth launched a scathing attack on Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin during a Pentagon briefing Thursday morning, targeting his former colleague over her coverage of U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The confrontation occurred as Hegseth defended the effectiveness of last weekend’s military operation amid leaked intelligence assessments questioning its impact.
During the June 26 press conference, Griffin, Fox News’ chief national security correspondent, asked Hegseth about the certainty that Iran’s highly enriched uranium remained at the targeted Fordo facility during the attack. She referenced satellite imagery showing more than a dozen trucks at the site two days before the strike, questioning whether nuclear materials had been moved.
Hegseth responded by personally attacking Griffin’s reporting credibility. “Jennifer, you’ve been about the worst, the one who misrepresents the most intentionally,” Hegseth declared during the briefing.
Griffin immediately defended her work, noting she was first to report details about the B-2 bombers, refueling operations, and the entire mission with great accuracy. She told Hegseth she took issue with his characterization of her reporting. The exchange highlighted tensions between the Trump administration and media coverage of the Iranian strikes.
The confrontation stems from reporting on a preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency assessment suggesting the U.S. strikes only set back Iran’s nuclear program by months rather than years. Multiple news outlets, including CNN and The New York Times, reported on the leaked intelligence evaluation, which contradicted administration claims of total success.
Hegseth, a former Fox News weekend host, devoted significant portions of his remarks to attacking media coverage of the strikes. He accused reporters of hoping the mission would fail due to their opposition to President Donald Trump. The Defense Secretary characterized the leaked assessment as biased and preliminary, though he did not deny its authenticity.
The leaked DIA report was labeled as having low confidence and was considered preliminary by officials. Hegseth suggested the leak was motivated by an agenda to undermine the perceived success of the operation. The Pentagon and FBI are investigating how the classified assessment reached the media.
Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine accompanied Hegseth at the briefing, providing technical details about the operation dubbed Midnight Hammer. The mission involved seven B-2 stealth aircraft and marked the first combat use of 30,000-pound GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs. Fourteen of these massive weapons were dropped on the Fordo facility and other nuclear sites.
The journalism community rallied to Griffin’s defense following Hegseth’s attack. Fox News’ Brit Hume defended his colleague on-air, stating the attack was unfair and praising Griffin’s professionalism and Pentagon experience. CNN’s Hadas Gold described Griffin as well-respected by colleagues, while Washington Post military reporter Dan Lamothe called her a professional.
Notably, The New York Times included praise for Griffin in its website coverage, with reporter Julian Barnes describing her as one of the most experienced and respected Pentagon reporters. Mother Jones’ Mark Follman criticized Hegseth’s personal attacks on his former Fox News colleague.
The administration’s response to intelligence leaks has included threats against reporters. Trump posted on Truth Social wondering whether news organizations would fire reporters over their Iran coverage. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also criticized CNN reporter Natasha Bertrand during a separate briefing.
Since the strikes occurred Saturday, conflicting assessments have emerged about their effectiveness. While Hegseth and Trump claim total obliteration of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, intelligence officials have provided more measured evaluations. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe issued statements Wednesday claiming new intelligence confirms the facilities were destroyed.
The Senate received a classified briefing on Iran Thursday afternoon, with House members scheduled for Friday. Lawmakers from both parties have expressed frustration over the lack of prior consultation before the strikes. Democrats have accused the administration of manipulating intelligence to support its narrative.
Hegseth’s tenure as Defense Secretary has been marked by limited media access within the Pentagon, breaking decades of precedent by confining reporters to designated areas. His confrontational approach during Thursday’s briefing reflected broader administration tensions with press coverage of military operations and intelligence assessments.
