Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks about the conflict in Iran from the White House briefing room on April 6, 2026. | Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Even before the Trump administration went to war with Iran, it was talking differently about its approach to combat.
President Donald Trump relabeled the Department of Defense to something more in line with his values: the Department of War. His Defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, promised to deliver on a philosophy of “maximum lethality.” For many years, Hegseth has wanted to unleash an American warrior and fight the enemy, no h...
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