Pete Hegseth pressed to reassure 'Americans who love their president' as war drags on

After giving a rah-rah speech about the US war on Iran, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was put on the spot by a reporter from the Daily Caller to reassure his MAGA base with rumors of a possible land invasion hanging in the air.

Toward the end of his Pentagon press conference, Hegseth was asked by conservative journalist Reagan Reese about the chokehold on oil at the Strait of Hormuz before being pressed with, “Without asking you to comment on things that you can't talk about, what is your message to Americans who love the president and strongly believe in him, but are very worried about this notion of boots on the ground?”

After knocking aside questions about the Strait of Hormuz, a slightly baffled Hegseth stated, “I don't understand why the base, which they have already, they understand, wouldn't have faith in his ability to execute on this?”

“Look at his track record of pursuing peace through strength, America First outcomes,” he insisted. “And what he's simply saying is exactly true, and I've said from this podium too, we're not going to foreclose any option. You can't fight and win a war if you tell your adversary what you are willing to do or what you are not willing to do –– to include boots on the ground.”

"So if we needed to, we could execute those options on behalf of the president of the United States and this department,” he added. “Or maybe we don't have to use them at all. Maybe negotiations work, or maybe there's a different approach. But the point is to be unpredictable in that; certainly not let anybody know what you're willing to do or not do.”

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