US Defense Secretary Clashes with Reporter Over Gender in Military Operations

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth engaged in a heated exchange with a journalist during a press conference today, following a question about the recognition of female pilots in a recent air strike against Iran. The journalist inquired why early messages from the department only congratulated male personnel, seemingly overlooking female contributions. Hegseth responded emphatically, stating, "When I say something like our boys and bombers, this is the kind of thing the press does, right?" He confirmed that a female bomber pilot was involved, adding, "That's fantastic. She's fantastic. She's a hero. I want more female bomber pilots." He further asserted, "I hope men and women of our country sign up to do such brave and audacious things." The Secretary then criticized the media's line of questioning, stating, "But it's the obsession with race and gender in this department that's changed priorities, and we don't do that anymore. We don't play your little games." He concluded by reiterating that he does not care if a pilot is male or female, and neither does the American public.