Exclusive: Inside Hegseth’s push to showcase a dramatic Iran rescue on ‘60 Minutes’
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and political appointees pressured two F-15 crew members shot down over Iran to participate in Sunday's '60 Minutes' report about their rescue operation.
- CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss personally lobbied Hegseth for exclusive access soon after the rescue, telling her newsroom the bookings were 'top priorities' as the network sought impactful reports.
- Military officials voiced concerns that the presentation risked disclosing classified rescue tactics, while uniformed service members suggested the Defense Department was using the mission for political purposes.
- After Hegseth met privately with the airmen, one pilot dubbed 'Bravo' agreed to the interview while the other, 'Alpha,' declined; Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell stated each pilot's decision was their own.
- Hegseth granted a rare interview for the broadcast airing Sunday, as the segment provides an inside story of the rescue amid pressure on the Secretary to craft a narrative around the unpopular Iran war.
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26 Articles
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Hegseth Pressured Two F-15 Crew Members Who Were Shot Down Over Iran To Appear On “60 Minutes”
CNN reports: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and political appointees in his department pushed for the two crew members of an F-15 who were shot down over Iran in April to participate in Sunday’s highly publicized “60 Minutes” report about the ensuing rescue operation, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. Both airmen initially expressed … The post CNN: Hegseth Pressured Two F-15 Crew Members Who Were Shot Down Over Iran To Appe…
Hegseth, Pentagon pressured F-15 crew to appear in '60 Minutes' Iran rescue story, CNN reports
US Defense Secretary Hegseth and political officials reportedly pushed for the airmen to take part in the CBS program, while military officials raised concerns over security and political messaging.
Hegseth pressed rescued F-15E crew for CBS interview
CNN: The F-15E crew rescued after being shot down over Iran initially resisted a '60 Minutes' interview as military officials feared classified details could be exposed; Hegseth met with the two after Pentagon officials pushed for the interview, but one still refused
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