Former President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday, calling for a much-needed “attitude adjustment” after what Bolton described as a muddled and chaotic briefing on the U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran.
“Pete Hegseth needs to check with his boss on what the objective is,” Bolton told host Kate Bolduan on CNN News Central.
The criticism came after Hegseth faced the press Monday morning at the Pentagon, delivering a tense and often combative briefing on the scope and goals of Operation Epic Fury. Hegseth’s presentation, which he opened with a pre-written statement declaring, “We didn’t start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it,” quickly devolved into confrontations with journalists over seemingly straightforward questions.
Bolton pointed to inconsistencies in Hegseth’s messaging as evidence that the civilian leadership at the Pentagon was not aligned with Trump’s statements. “If the big one is still to come, how does Hegseth explain that we’ve already changed the regime, which wasn’t our objective? I think the Pentagon top leadership, civilian top leadership, needs some attitude adjustment,” Bolton said.
The press pool at the Pentagon included a mix of traditional outlets like CNN and Politico, alongside a handpicked cadre of pro-Trump publications and influencers, including One America News, The Federalist, The Epoch Times, The Gateway Pundit, Turning Point USA’s Frontlines, and Lindell TV, the platform of MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. Hegseth appeared to take questions almost exclusively from these friendly outlets, snapping at reporters from other organizations.
The first clash came when a reporter asked whether there were American boots on the ground in Iran. Hegseth, visibly irate, shot back, “No, but we are not going into the exercise of what we will or will not do. It is foolishness!” He added, gesturing toward the press, “We will go as far as we need to go to advance American interests…Do we put months of planning in? Absolutely.”
NBC News’ Courtney Kube attempted a follow-up question on the duration of the operation, prompting Hegseth to label it “a typical NBC sort of gotcha type question.” He reserved his harshest rebuke for a female journalist who suggested the public deserved to know what they were sending service members to fight for, responding, “Did you not hear my remarks?” before launching into a tirade about the administration’s “clear-eyed” objectives.
Hegseth’s briefing came amid ongoing confusion over the weekend strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other top officials, as well as retaliatory attacks that have already cost four U.S. service members their lives. President Trump, meanwhile, told CNN that the “big wave” of strikes “hasn’t even happened,” and suggested the operation could last around four weeks, claiming the U.S. is “a little ahead of schedule.”
Bolton, who also served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under George W. Bush, said the behavior on display during Hegseth’s press conference underscores the challenges of civilian leadership in managing a complex military operation. “I think the military is doing fine, but I wonder about the civilian leadership,” he remarked.
As Operation Epic Fury continues, questions remain about the administration’s objectives, the extent of U.S. involvement on the ground, and the coordination between Pentagon officials and Trump’s public statements. Meanwhile, Hegseth’s combative tone and selective questioning have done little to clarify the administration’s strategy, drawing scrutiny from lawmakers and media analysts alike.
