Hegseth says he welcomes deal with Iran, but Pentagon will keep ‘negotiating with bombs’
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Defense Secretary Hegseth welcomes negotiated peace with Iran but states Pentagon will continue military pressure in negotiations.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday he welcomes a negotiated peace deal with Iran while maintaining the Pentagon will continue military pressure in talks, walking back earlier signals from President Trump that Hegseth opposed diplomacy with Tehran. Hegseth's comments at a White House Cabinet meeting appeared to clarify his position after Trump suggested this week the defense secretary was "disappointed" by the prospect of a deal. The statement reflects tension within the administration over Iran policy—balancing Hegseth's hawkish posture with special envoy Steve Witkoff's diplomatic efforts. Hegseth's embrace of negotiations, coupled with his emphasis on military leverage, suggests the White House is signaling both openness to talks and readiness to use force if diplomacy fails.
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