&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'Never pulled the trigger': Hegseth hails Trump for Iran nuclear strikes, diplomacy")
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday (July 31) praised President Donald Trump for ordering strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities while continuing diplomatic engagement with Tehran, saying the president had demonstrated both military resolve and a willingness to negotiate.
Speaking during a televised Cabinet meeting at Camp David, Hegseth said Trump had shown “the courage to do Midnight Hammer and conclude the 12-day war by obliterating their nuclear sites.” He said previous US presidents had weighed similar military action against Iran's nuclear programme but ultimately decided against it.
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"They never pulled the trigger because of the complications, challenges and risks," Hegseth said, crediting Trump with deciding those concerns. At the same time, Hegseth defended the administration's diplomatic approach towards Tehran, saying it was backed by experienced officials.
"We have the best negotiators in the world," he said, praising Trump's strategy of combining military action with continued diplomatic efforts.
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Meanwhile, there are reports that US President Donald Trump has ordered fresh military strikes on Iran that could begin as soon as this weekend. This comes as Washington steps up pressure on Tehran to return to negotiations.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Friday (July 31), citing US officials, Trump approved plans for a new round of military action after warning during a televised Cabinet meeting at Camp David that the United States would be "hitting them very hard" if Iran failed to change course.
