President Donald Trump praised Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during a March 26, 2026, Cabinet meeting, stating that Hegseth “was born for this role” and is performing exceptionally in overseeing military operations against Iran. Trump pushed back against criticism directed at his appointee, noting that despite pushback from some quarters, Hegseth has delivered strong results in Operation Epic Fury.
Trump: Pete Hegseth who was born for this role. Somebody came up to me yesterday saying I made a mistake. pic.twitter.com/WkjrAgsy0S
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 26, 2026
“Pete Hegseth— was born for this role,” Trump said. “And someone came up to me yesterday and gave you a hard time and said I made a mistake, Pete is doing a great job. He gave you such a nasty hard time. But you are doing great.”
As Secretary of War, Hegseth has played a central leadership role in Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. military campaign launched on February 28, 2026, to neutralize threats from the Iranian regime. The operation has involved extensive air, sea, and land assets, striking over 9,000 targets, conducting more than 9,000 combat flights, and damaging or destroying over 140 Iranian vessels. It has also resulted in the elimination of Iran’s supreme leader and more than 40 top leaders, effectively dismantling much of the regime’s command, air defense, missile, and naval capabilities.
Operation Epic Fury: March 23rd Update pic.twitter.com/Ho69WqwcRo
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 23, 2026
Trump’s endorsement came amid broader discussion of the campaign’s successes, with Hegseth credited for helping execute a decisive effort focused on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and eliminating its ability to threaten the region and the United States. Trump highlighted Hegseth’s effectiveness despite what he characterized as unfair attacks from critics.