Amna Nawaz
@PBSNewsHour·5.3M subscribers·62.2K videos
WATCH: Hegseth questioned about possible U.S. intervention in the Middle East
Posted
June 18, 2025
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3,508
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June 18, 2025
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2:25Now PlayingDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth declined answering whether he'd provided President Donald Trump with options for strikes on Iran amid rising conflict in the region.
“Most of what I can or should say would be reserved for a classified setting,” Hegseth said in response to a question from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire. “Obviously any decisions on this matter are at the presidential level.”
"If I had or I had not, I wouldn't disclose that in this forum, Senator," adding his job is to "make sure the president has options and is informed of what those options might be and what the ramifications of those options may be."
Hegseth's testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee comes as Middle East tensions are high after Israel bombed Iran nearly a week ago while discussions about Tehran's nuclear capabilities were presumably ongoing. Since then, hundreds of people have been killed in strikes in Iran, while dozens have been killed in Israel.
Trump has reportedly been considering striking Iran saying on Wednesday: "I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do."
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