According to a video from 00:07:04 posted on BBC on Friday, September 4, 2026, President Donald Trump publicly praised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for recent US strikes on Iran, telling him he had done a good job and declaring that the United States was winning the conflict decisively.
Trump made the remarks as Hegseth faced growing scrutiny over his leadership of the Pentagon.
The praise came amid a string of high-profile departures from senior military positions, including the resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who had been appointed roughly eighteen months earlier to help end the war in Ukraine and modernize US forces.
Hegseth had also removed or forced out senior officers across nearly every branch of the military, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Navy’s top admiral, and the Army Chief of Staff.
Despite this turmoil, Trump defended Hegseth publicly, also claiming the United States had virtually unlimited amounts of ammunition. Vice President JD Vance backed Hegseth as well when questioned about the tensions at a White House press briefing.
However, criticism continued from within Trump’s own party. Republican Senator Tom Tillis called for Hegseth’s removal, writing online that he had never witnessed more inept management of the country’s armed forces, and accusing Hegseth of being intimidated by competence and focusing on culture war issues instead of national defense.
According to BBC correspondents Sumi Somaskanda and Anthony Zurcher, reporting on the situation, Hegseth had been one of the primary advocates for the Iran war behind the scenes, while Vance had reportedly been more cautious about moving forward.
Reports also emerged of a heated exchange between Trump and Hegseth during a cabinet meeting at Camp David, though the White House denied any confrontation took place. Analysts noted that Trump’s continued public support for Hegseth suggests his own credibility remains closely tied to the defense secretary’s standing.
In his words, Trump said, “You did a good job last night in Iran, by the way. You knocked the hell out of them. Very good. We’re winning. We’re winning that one very big, by the way, in case you haven’t noticed.”