WATCH: 'We negotiate with bombs,' Hegseth says of U.S. air campaign in Iran

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has stated that the U.S. uses military force as a negotiating tool in its air campaign against Iran, as President Trump signals the operation may be winding down after three and a half weeks. Trump previously outlined five specific objectives he wants achieved before ending the conflict, but several remain undefined or incomplete as the campaign approaches conclusion. The comment illustrates the administration's hardline military approach while also suggesting potential constraints on how long the campaign will continue. The tension between stated war aims and an apparent readiness to exit raises questions about what constitutes success in Trump's negotiations with Tehran.