Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, once a familiar face on Fox & Friends Weekend, ignited a new wave of controversy for President Trump during a Thursday morning press briefing after launching a personal attack on his former colleague, veteran Fox News journalist Jennifer Griffin.
Griffin, widely respected for her reporting on national security and military affairs, pressed Hegseth on the credibility of the administration’s claims about recent U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s underground nuclear sites. She referenced satellite imagery showing heavy truck activity at the Fordow facility in the days before the strikes and asked whether officials could confirm that all enriched uranium was still inside the site at the time of the bombing.
Rather than offering a direct answer, Hegseth fired back sharply: “Jennifer, you’ve been about the worst. The one who misrepresents the most intentionally.” His accusation stunned reporters in the room and immediately sparked backlash, not just from journalists but also from former Fox News colleagues and national security voices.
Griffin, clearly taken aback, calmly defended her reporting and reminded Hegseth of her accurate early coverage of the stealth bomber deployment, refueling logistics, and strike details. “So, I take issue with that,” she said, maintaining her composure as Hegseth doubled down on his criticism of the press.
The incident adds to the growing storm around Hegseth, who has become one of the most polarizing figures in the Trump Cabinet. Already under scrutiny for previous disclosures of sensitive information via group chat, Hegseth’s combative handling of Thursday’s media briefing deepened concerns about the administration’s approach to transparency and accountability.
His remarks also inflamed tensions around the leaked Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report, which cast doubt on claims that Iran’s nuclear capabilities had been completely destroyed. The Trump administration has insisted the strikes caused catastrophic damage, but the leaked assessment suggested the program may only have been delayed by months. Hegseth, echoing President Trump, dismissed the report as “half-truths” and accused the press corps of rooting against the president out of bias.
Brit Hume, Fox News’ chief political analyst, publicly defended Griffin on-air, calling the attack “unfair” and praising her experience and professionalism. Other reactions poured in across social media and political circles, with former White House official Daniel Koh calling Hegseth’s behavior “an embarrassment,” and prominent commentators describing the exchange as unprofessional and alarming.
Even as critics condemned the outburst, Trump praised Hegseth’s performance, calling the briefing “one of the greatest, most professional, and most confirming news conferences I have ever seen,” while once again labeling media coverage as a “witch hunt.”
The episode has fueled fresh questions about whether Hegseth’s frequent outbursts and attacks are helping or hurting Trump’s standing during a critical moment in his presidency. What’s certain is that the latest flare-up has drawn even more attention to the administration’s increasingly strained relationship with the press — and has added another scandal to the defense secretary’s growing list.
