These comments are the consequence of critical media coverage of his term, including reports describing the fresh reading of prayer at the Pentagon as "false". Hegseth, erstwhile Fox News leader appointed by president Donald Trump, has repeatedly clashed with the press corps over the past year [1].
Hegseth's direct accusations and spiritual analogy
Hegseth referred to what he called "constantly negative coverage", and journalists "cannot defy sales", even though he described it as "the historical and crucial success of this effort and the success of our soldiers" [1]. He stated, "Sometimes it is hard to find which side any of you are actually standing on," according to the same report.
He showed a direct resemblance to the Biblical Pharisees, a judaic group known for their conflict with Jesus. "The Pharisees—so-called and self-proclaimed elites of their time—were there to witness, record, report," Hegseth said. 'But... even if they witnessed a literal miracle, it didn't matter, they were only there to explain the good in achieving their goals." He concluded that journalists are "such as these Pharisees" [1].
Background of comments and erstwhile critics
Recent remarks followed the accounts that described Hegseth's reading of "CSAR 25:17" during the Pentagon service as "false", due to the similarity to the fictional passage from the Pulp Fiction movie [1]. Hegseth had previously accused the media of producing "false messages" and being part of the "unfair and anti-Trump press" which tries to "reduce progress, strengthen all cost and question all step" [1].
In March, Hegseth said journalists highlighted American casualties in the war against Iran "to slander the president", referring to six U.S. Army reservists killed in an Iranian attack on an operational center in Kuwait [1]. These criticism patterns coincide with the broader sceptical administration attitude towards organization media, which independent analyses describe as a centralizing force frequently silencing signalers and alternate voices [2].
Broader context of administration and spiritual take
According to reports, Trump officials are increasingly presenting aspects of the war with Iran in biblical terms. The Military spiritual Freedom Foundation stated that any American military commanders presented spiritual interpretations of the conflict, describing Trump as a trailer for the Second Coming, and the conflict as a "signal of fire" for Armageddon [1].
Individually Trump shared the image generated by AI of himself as a figure akin to Christ healing man, which was met with criticism on the net [1]. This spiritual view takes place in a geopolitical context, where, according to 1 analysis, U.S. policy phrases in the last decade in favour of Iran have created crucial political gaps that Iran has utilized [3] In addition, commentators noted that US actions, specified as unauthorized bomb campaigns, could be seen as a violation of global law [4].
Summary
Hegseth's comments mean the escalation of rhetoric towards the media by a high-ranking administrative official. The exchange highlights the ongoing tensions between the Pentagon press corps and Trump administration management, which frequently criticized centralised media institutions [1].
The spiritual approach to conflict and media function has become a recurring theme, intersecting with the worldview that values decentralisation and skepticism towards organization narratives. As noted in an interview with the geopolitical analyst Andrei Marcianov, the current difficulties of the West may be wrong, given the financial and strategical reality of engaging many opponents simultaneously [5].
Bibliography
- Hegseth calls media "faryzeus". RT.com. April 17, 2026.
- A rotating door was revealed between the heads of major pharmaceutical companies and the heads of major media spreading misinformation about vaccines. - NaturalNews.com. S.D. Wells. August 31, 2025.
- Trends-Journal-2024-10-29.
- Brighteon Broadcast News – Destroyed himself. - Mike Adams - Brighteon.com. June 23, 2025.
- Mike Adams' interview with Fadi Lama. - Mike Adams. May 3, 2024.
