‘Iran Begged for This Ceasefire’: Hegseth Touts US Military Success in Pentagon Briefing | 4/9/26

During the Pentagon press briefing alongside Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the two-week ceasefire with Iran as the result of a decisive U.S. military campaign. He stated, “Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield — a capital-V military victory,” claiming it decimated Iran’s missile program, navy, and defense industry, rendering its military “combat-ineffective for years to come.” Hegseth added that “Iran begged for this ceasefire, and we all know it,” asserting the regime was “out of options and out of time.” He emphasized that U.S. forces are “not going anywhere,” saying “we’ll be hanging around” in the region to monitor compliance, ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, and remain “prepared to defend, prepared to go on offense,” and “restart at a moment’s notice” if the truce fails. Hegseth noted that “it takes time sometimes for ceasefires to take hold” and framed the pause as giving “a chance at real peace and a real deal,” while praising President Trump for choosing “mercy” instead of further crippling Iran’s economy. We also cover: RFK Jr. is joining the podcasting world. Jennifer Newsom is trying to be first lady. New LGBT acronym drops in Canada. Is the Strait of Hormuz really open? Buddy the alligator is DEAD! 00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED! 00:14 U.S. / Iran Ceasefire 00:36 Strait of Hormuz Closed 01:39 Jeffy Promotes Renewable Energy 03:18 Belgian Foreign Minister in Lebanon 04:31 Pete Hegseth Yesterday 05:55 JD Vance on 10-Point Plan 08:33 JD Vance on Strait of Hormuz 09:26 Price of Oil 12:05 Chuck Schumer Doesn't Like U.S. / Iran Deal 15:47 Karoline Leavitt on U.S. / Iran Deal 17:38 Trump & Karoline Leavitt on NATO 19:00 Do We Need NATO? 20:50 Lawrence O'Donnell is Upset with Pete Hegseth 28:02 Germany Taking Steps with Strait of Hormuz 32:22 Fat Five 43:16 Minnesota Bathhouses 49:14 Blue State Wealth & Exit Taxes 54:24 Jennifer Newsom on Talking to Prisoners 58:20 New Acronym to Memorize 1:07:10 Big Announcement from RFK Jr. 1:10:40 Mike Pence's New Book 1:12:12 Allegations against Eric Swalwell? 1:15:02 Warehouse Fire in California 1:19:46 Evaluation of Iryna Zarutska's Killer 1:21:46 List of Pam Bondi Replacements 1:29:08 Caller Tessa (Pat Gray BINGO! Winner) 1:30:20 "Exspecially" 1:32:07 RFK Jr., Whales, and Bears (Oh My!) 1:32:57 Hasan Piker Feels No Sympathy for U.S. Pilots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices