Pentagon Briefing Sparks Debate: Defense Secretary Accused of Dodging Iran Uranium Questions and Blaming Media

**Pentagon Briefing Sparks Debate: Defense Secretary Accused of Dodging Iran Uranium Questions and Blaming Media** WASHINGTON D.C. – A recent Pentagon briefing saw Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth facing scrutiny over reports of Iran moving enriched uranium prior to a U.S. strike. When pressed on the matter, Secretary Hegseth did not offer a direct answer. Instead, he accused Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin, a former colleague, of being "the one who misrepresents the most intentionally what the president says." Griffin, in turn, asserted her journalistic integrity, stating, "I was the first to report about the ventilation shafts on Saturday night. And in fact, I was the first to describe the B-2 bombers, the refueling, the entire mission with great accuracy. So I take issue with that." Following the contentious exchange, NBC News reporters David Rohde and Jonathan Lemire offered their analysis. Rohde emphasized the lack of new information regarding the effectiveness of the strikes, noting that the Defense Secretary was "pressed a little bit about reports that Iran may have been able to move some of the enriched uranium." Lemire highlighted satellite photos indicating trucks may have left the site before the attack, a detail Hegseth claimed he was unaware of. Both reporters expressed concern over Hegseth's approach. "The failure to answer that question," Rohde stated, "because what we need to do is look forward. And so the simple question was, is there any evidence that the U.S. knows of that the enriched uranium, the critical ingredient to make a nuclear bomb, was removed from the site before it was bombed?" He added, "He didn't answer that question. And as you said, he spent most of the presentation attacking the media." Lemire concluded by stressing the broader implications for national security. "It was a successful mission. I salute the men and women who carried it out, but I think distracting people by blaming the press and not addressing the real issues… national security needs facts and honest debate, and that’s what’s so concerning." The discussion underscores ongoing tensions and the critical need for transparency in matters of international security.