Latest news with #JesseWattersPrimetime
The Hill
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Hegseth: ‘We are postured defensively … to be strong' in Middle East
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that the U.S. is 'postured defensively in the region to be strong' amid conflict between Israel and Iran in the Middle East. 'Our job is to be strong. We are postured defensively in the region to be strong, in pursuit of a peace deal. And we certainly hope that's what happens here,' Hegseth said on Fox News's 'Jesse Watters Primetime.' 'And 'America First' means we're going to defend American personnel and American interests,' he added. Conflict between Israel and Iran broke out last week following long-simmering tensions in the region over Israel's war in Gaza and Iran's nuclear capabilities. President Trump said recently that 'it's possible' that the U.S. steps into the conflict. 'We're not involved in it. It's possible we could get involved. But we are not at this moment involved,' Trump told ABC News over the weekend. On Monday, Hegseth ordered the deployment of 'additional capabilities' to the Middle East amid the conflict. He did not describe specifics, though earlier in the day a U.S. official confirmed to NewsNation, that the U.S. military moved several refueling tanker aircraft to Europe. The president told reporters early Tuesday he was seeking 'a real end' to the conflict, saying he wasn't 'looking for a ceasefire, we're looking at better than a ceasefire.' Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a post on the social media platform X Monday night that 'American Forces are maintaining their defensive posture & that has not changed.' 'We will protect American troops & our interests,' he added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not rule out targeting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday following reports that Trump had shot down a plan from Israel to take Khamenei out.
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Pentagon chief says Trump still aiming for deal with Iran
WASHINGTON: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News on Monday that President Donald Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran even as hostilities have escalated between US ally Israel and Tehran, while a White House aide said separately that Washington was not attacking Iran. 'Of course,' Hegseth said on Fox News' 'Jesse Watters Primetime' show when asked if Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran. 'We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal. And we certainly hope that's what happens here,' Hegseth said. In a social media post on Monday, Trump said 'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran,' citing what he said was the country's rejection of a deal to curb nuclear weapons development. Israel attacked Iran on Friday and since then the two Middle Eastern rivals have exchanged blows, with Iranian officials reporting over 220 deaths, mostly civilians, in five days while Israel said 24 civilians had been killed. Israel says it aims to eliminate what it calls threats posed by Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel, which is not a party to the NPT, is the only country in the Middle East widely believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that. The air war between Iran and Israel has raised further alarms in a region that had already been on edge since the start of Israel's military assault on Gaza in October 2023. Washington has thus far maintained it is not involved in Israeli attacks on Iran and warned Tehran not to attack US interests or personnel in the region. Trump urges Tehran evacuation as Iran-Israel conflict enters fifth day 'We're vigilant, we're prepared, and we have messaged consistently from the beginning that we're in the region to defend our people and our assets,' Hegseth said on Fox News. White House aide Alex Pfeiffer took to social media platform X to deny online claims that the US was attacking Iran. 'This is not true. American forces are maintaining their defensive posture, and that has not changed,' Pfeiffer said.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Pentagon chief says Trump still aiming for deal with Iran
WASHINGTON: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News on Monday that President Donald Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran even as hostilities have escalated between U.S. ally Israel and Tehran, while a White House aide said separately that Washington was not attacking Iran. 'Of course,' Hegseth said on Fox News' 'Jesse Watters Primetime' show when asked if Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran. 'We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal. And we certainly hope that's what happens here,' Hegseth said. In a social media post on Monday, Trump said 'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran,' citing what he said was the country's rejection of a deal to curb nuclear weapons development. Israel attacked Iran on Friday and since then the two Middle Eastern rivals have exchanged blows, with Iranian officials reporting over 220 deaths, mostly civilians, in five days while Israel said 24 civilians had been killed. Israel says it aims to eliminate what it calls threats posed by Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty . Israel, which is not a party to the NPT, is the only country in the Middle East widely believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that. The air war between Iran and Israel has raised further alarms in a region that had already been on edge since the start of Israel's military assault on Gaza in October 2023. Washington has thus far maintained it is not involved in Israeli attacks on Iran and warned Tehran not to attack U.S. interests or personnel in the region. 'We're vigilant, we're prepared, and we have messaged ... consistently from the beginning that we're in the region to defend our people and our assets,' Hegseth said on Fox News. White House aide Alex Pfeiffer took to social media platform X to deny online claims that the U.S. was attacking Iran. 'This is not true. American forces are maintaining their defensive posture, and that has not changed,' Pfeiffer said.
GMA Network
5 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Pentagon chief says Trump still aiming for deal with Iran
U.S. and Iranian flags are seen in this illustration taken, April 24, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File WASHINGTON - US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News on Monday that President Donald Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran even as hostilities have escalated between US ally Israel and Tehran, while a White House aide said separately that Washington was not attacking Iran. "Of course," Hegseth said on Fox News' "Jesse Watters Primetime" show when asked if Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran. "We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal. And we certainly hope that's what happens here," Hegseth said. In a social media post on Monday, Trump said "Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran," citing what he said was the country's rejection of a deal to curb nuclear weapons development. Israel attacked Iran on Friday and since then the two Middle Eastern rivals have exchanged blows, with Iranian officials reporting over 220 deaths, mostly civilians, in five days while Israel said 24 civilians had been killed. Israel says it aims to eliminate what it calls threats posed by Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel, which is not a party to the NPT, is the only country in the Middle East widely believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that. The air war between Iran and Israel has raised further alarms in a region that had already been on edge since the start of Israel's military assault on Gaza in October 2023. Washington has thus far maintained it is not involved in Israeli attacks on Iran and warned Tehran not to attack US interests or personnel in the region. "We're vigilant, we're prepared, and we have messaged ... consistently from the beginning that we're in the region to defend our people and our assets," Hegseth said on Fox News. White House aide Alex Pfeiffer took to social media platform X to deny online claims that the US was attacking Iran. "This is not true. American forces are maintaining their defensive posture, and that has not changed," Pfeiffer said. —Reuters
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth says Trump still aiming for nuclear deal with Iran
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News on Monday that President Donald Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran even as hostilities have escalated between US ally Israel and Tehran, while a White House aide said separately that Washington was not attacking Iran. 'Of course,' Hegseth said on Fox News' 'Jesse Watters Primetime' show when asked if Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran. 'We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal. And we certainly hope that's what happens here,' Hegseth said. In a social media post on Monday, Trump said 'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran,' citing what he said was the country's rejection of a deal to curb nuclear weapons development. Israel attacked Iran on Friday and since then the two Middle Eastern rivals have exchanged blows, with Iranian officials reporting over 220 deaths, mostly civilians, in five days while Israel said 24 civilians had been killed. Israel says it aims to eliminate what it calls threats posed by Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the Nuclear. Israel, which is not a party to the NPT, is the only country in the Middle East widely believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that. The air war between Iran and Israel has raised further alarms in a region that had already been on edge since the start of Israel's military assault on Gaza in October 2023. Washington has thus far maintained it is not involved in Israeli attacks on Iran and warned Tehran not to attack US interests or personnel in the region. 'We're vigilant, we're prepared, and we have messaged … consistently from the beginning that we're in the region to defend our people and our assets,' Hegseth said on Fox News. White House aide Alex Pfeiffer took to social media platform X to deny online claims that the US was attacking Iran. 'This is not true. American forces are maintaining their defensive posture, and that has not changed,' Pfeiffer said.
