Pete Hegseth was primarily known as a dapper TV host willing to defend war crimes. Actual soldiers with longstanding codes of honor, as opposed to the fantasy world Hegseth is creating with his cliche-ridden chatter on TV, would not punch enemies when they are down. It seems that Hegseth and company are also promoting an ultimately nihilist cult of death. The reality of war itself recedes because the airwaves are filled with an endless series of entertaining images and empty talk. Even with this extra layer of insulation from reality, Hegseth insisted that the press was not being positive enough about US attacks on Iran.

Source: The Guardian March 23, 2026 11:31 UTC