Pete Hegseth Forces Out Awkward Smile After Trump 'Blames' Him For Iran War — As Prez Accused of Throwing Defense Sec. 'Under the Bus'
Donald Trump just threw Pete Hegseth 'under the bus,' according to critics.
March 24 2026, Published 3:20 p.m. ET
Donald Trump has appeared to put all the blame for the war in Iran on Pete Hegseth, calling out the Secretary of Defense during a conference, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
On Monday, March 24, Trump spoke in Tennessee and proudly put the spotlight on Hegseth, however, not exactly for the best reason.
'You Were the First One to Speak Up'
Trump was quick to put the spotlight on Hegseth when it came to the war in Iran.
"I called a lot of our great people... and I said, 'Let's talk. We got a problem in the Middle East. We have a country known as Iran that, for 47 years, has been just a purveyor of terror, and they're close to a nuclear weapon,'" Trump explained.
The 79-year-old then turned to his right and looked at Hegseth, before adding, "And Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up. And you said, 'Let’s do it, because you can't let them have a nuclear weapon."
The former Fox News personality could only force out a smile after the president seemed to pull back the curtain on the administration's private talks.
Critics Go Off: 'Blame Someone Else'
Trump then continued, speaking on ongoing discussions with Iran: "I think they're very good. They want peace to – they've agreed they will not have a nuclear weapon, you know, etc., but we’ll see. You have to get it done. But I would say there’s a very good chance."
Critics, however, were quick to call out Trump for 'throwing Pete under the bus," as one person reacted, "The next sacrificial lamb, getting ready to throw him under the bus..."
Another added, "So it's all Pete's fault. When it gets bad, blame someone else," and a user said, "Pete's name put forward for the blame?"
Hegseth's behind-the-scenes behavior has not been kept out of the public recently, especially his classified briefings, which have apparently proven just how out depth the 45-year-old might be.
Pete Hegseth's 'Embarrassing' Behavior Exposed
Hegseth could do nothing but force out a smile when called out by the president.
James Walkinshaw, who serves on the Military and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, recently claimed he has witnessed Hegseth in classified sessions and came to one conclusion: He's "embarrassed for him."
"I see Pete Hegseth in classified briefings, and I am embarrassed for him," Walkinshaw explained to Pablo Manriquez of Pablo Reports on the Meidas Network. "He can do nothing beyond read the script that's given him."
Walkinshaw added, "He can't answer detailed questions. He doesn't understand the strategy, not that there is one; he doesn't understand the tactical or operational questions."
"He is in way the hell over his head," he noted.
Time to Fire Peth Hegseth?
Many critics accused Trump of throwing the Secretary of Defense 'under the bus.'
Walkinshaw isn't the only person who has called out Hegseth for his role in the war in Iran, as House Democrat Pat Ryan has also held Hegseth's feet to the fire.
"Hegseth has literally become more deranged than the SNL skits at this point, and it would be funny if he wasn’t literally killing American soldiers," the New York representative went off in an interview with the MeidasTouch Network.
He continued: "And so, for him to stand up there, you see each time he screws up, and we screw up and lose Americans, he gets more desperate, and he screams louder... And he just shows his weakness." Ryan also called for Hegseth's termination, plugging his website, "firehegseth.com."
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Hegseth has been called out for his public meltdowns and 'embarrassing' behavior.
Hegseth hasn't reacted well to the war in Iran being brought up, especially on March 10, when he was pressed so hard by reporters, he decided to point out how much he is looking forward to the planned merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.
"I know that everything is written intentionally," Hegseth said behind the podium. "For example, a banner or a headline, 'Mideast War intensifies,' splashing on the screen the last couple of days alongside visuals of civilian or energy targets that Iran has because that's what they do."
"The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better!" Hegseth raged. Earlier this month, Ellison's company reached a deal to acquire CNN's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.
