Hegseth Scoffs at 60 Minutes Questioning If Iran Was an Imminent Threat: Silly and Academic'

"President Trump's interests have been our interests and advancing those from the beginning. And, so, the fact that intelligence was gathered, whether from Israeli or ours and always checked by our intel agencies to make sure it's accurate a lot of times the best way to start operations is a trigger-based or conditions-based moment."

"I think much of that discussion is silly and academic. They've been killing us for 47 years. They have unabated nuclear ambitions. And when we obliterated their nuclear program at the end of the 12-day war in Operation Midnight Hammer, they should have come to the table, and say, Okay, we get it, you mean business."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed CBS News's characterization of Iran as an imminent threat during a 60 Minutes interview about Operation Epic Fury. He explained that Israeli intelligence regarding Ali Khamenei's location, confirmed by the CIA, provided a trigger-based opportunity for military action. Hegseth emphasized that the U.S. controlled the decision to proceed based on American interests and protection of American lives. He rejected the distinction between opportunity and imminent threat as "silly and academic," arguing Iran's 47-year history of hostility and unabated nuclear ambitions justified the operation. He referenced Operation Midnight Hammer's destruction of Iran's nuclear program in June, though estimates suggest Iran retains significant nuclear material.

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