John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, suggested Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth needs an “attitude adjustment” after his briefing on the strikes against Iran.
Early Monday, Hegseth, alongside Gen. Dan Caine, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, briefed reporters on the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes which killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking officials.
Hegseth claimed the conflict is “not a so-called regime change war,” but noted that the “regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it.” He said the operation’s goals are to “destroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy their navy and other security infrastructure, and [ensure] they will never have nuclear weapons.”
This comes after Trump called on the Iranian people to “take over you government” in a video shared on Truth Social early Saturday. When CNN’s Jake Tapper asked on Monday if the U.S. is doing more beyond the strikes to help the Iranian people regain control of the country, Trump replied, “Yes.”
Bolton called Trump’s response to Tapper “important” as he slammed Hegseth’s claims at the press conference, suggesting his message was at odds with the president’s.
“Pete Hegseth needs to check with his boss on what the objective is,” Bolton told CNN host Kate Bolduan. “And by the way, if the big one is still to come, how does Hegseth explain that we’ve already changed the regime, which wasn’t our objective?”
“I mean I think the Pentagon’s top leadership, civilian top leadership, needs some attitude adjustment. I think the military’s doing fine, but I wonder about the civilian leadership,” he added.
Hegseth was quick to air familiar grievances at the press briefing as he railed against “fake news” and the “political left.” He also pushed back on the idea that the conflict could lead to an “endless war.”
“To the media outlets and political left screaming ‘endless wars,’ stop. This is not Iraq. This is not endless,” Hegseth said. “Our generation knows better and so does this president.”
When asked about Hegseth’s claim that the goal is not a regime change, Bolton said the defense secretary should “talk to the president.”
“He’s made it clear in multiple remarks that in order to address the threats to the United States, Iran’s effort to get nuclear weapons, its support for international terrorism, you have to have regime change. That’s what he is saying. So, maybe Pete Hegseth hasn’t seen the latest press release,” he said.
Trump fired Bolton in 2019 after they repeatedly clashed over foreign policy issues. Bolton has since been a vocal critic of Trump, and has even said he’s “unfit” to be president. Bolton was also indicted by the Justice Department last year on several counts related to the mishandling of classified information. He pleaded not guilty in October.
The Independent has contacted the Pentagon for comment.
