Moulton: Do you think we are winning the Iran war?

Hegseth: Absolutely.

Moulton: Do you call Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz winning?

Hegseth: The blockade we hold...

Moulton: So they blockaded us and we blockaded their blockade?

Pete Hegseth:

We are ensuring that Iran is not buying Chinese missiles.

Trump says the U.S. will maintain its naval blockade on Iran until a nuclear deal is reached, rejecting Tehran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz first.

“The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing… They are choking… They can't have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

Source: Axios

Trump to Axios:

The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing.

They are choking like a stuffed pig. And it is going to be worse for them.

Trump to Axios:

They don't want me to keep the blockade. I don't want to [lift the blockade], because I don't want them to have a nuclear weapon.

BIG: CENTCOM has drafted a plan for a "short and powerful" wave of strikes on Iran to break the negotiating stalemate.

Source: Axios

Moulton: Did you consider the risk of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz?

Hegseth: Of course.

Moulton: Then why did you send the only minesweepers we had in the Gulf to Singapore weeks before the war started?

Hegseth: Iran’s nuclear facilities have been obliterated.

Smith: You said we had to start this war because the nuclear weapon was an imminent threat. Now you’re saying it was completely obliterated?

Moulton: Do you know how much your war costs the average American taxpayer?

Hegseth: What is the cost of Iran having a nuclear weapon?

Moulton: You said, "we will give them no quarter, no mercy." That is a war crime under the Geneva Conventions. You understand that's murder. Do you stand by that statement?

Hegseth: The Department of War fights to win…

Moulton: You called for Democratic members of Congress to be tried for sedition for reminding our troops to follow the law. But when you tell them to commit a war crime, you stand by yourself.

Rep. Carbajal to Hegseth:

We have something in common. I’m also a fan of Pulp Fiction.

And no, the movie is not an accurate portrayal of the Bible. You know what I’m talking about.

Khanna: How much did it cost American taxpayers, in terms of the strike on the Iranian school where kids were killed, in terms of the missiles we used?

Hegseth: That unfortunate situation remains under investigation. I wouldn’t tie a cost to that.

Q: Why did you fire General George?

Hegseth: We needed new leadership.

Pete Hegseth on Iran:

What they are doing right now is effectively piracy. It’s terrorism. It’s threatening international shipping.

Pete Hegseth and Rep. Giménez agree that the U.S. has spent $300 billion to help Ukraine.

Even Trump’s number is usually around the $150 billion mark.

BREAKING: Brent crude rises above $119.50 per barrel, the highest level since June 2022.

Zelensky:

If JD Vance is proud that he’s not helping us, it means that he is helping Russians, and I’m not sure that it’s strengthening the United States.

Russia is the enemy. They will always be enemies with the United States.

Zelensky:

Russia is not in a strong position—they are not winning.

We are in the best position during the last 9–10 months, I mean on the battlefield, but in any way, it is better to stop the war.

Zelensky:

We’ve got messages from partners that because of this challenge in the Middle East, maybe not to attack some energy infrastructure in Russia. And of course I said no—we will respond.

Let’s make an energy ceasefire, but nobody proposed us an energy ceasefire. We are open for this, but if Russia will attack us, we will respond in any way.

Zelensky:

We sent support to several countries who asked us, and not only in the Middle East.

Some institutions in the United States also asked us to support, and of course we are partners, and we decided to do it, including helping American bases.

So I think that we helped the United States. If the United States thinks that they didn’t ask us—okay.

Trump:

I asked Netanyahu to act more cautiously in Lebanon and avoid destroying buildings, as it harms Israel’s image.

I love Lebanon and its leadership, but the problem is Hezbollah.

Source: N12