Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a press event with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on September 05, 2025. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Pete Hegseth’s hostility toward the press has been a defining characteristic of his time as defense secretary.

The current controversy over US strikes against suspected drug boats helps demonstrate why.

Doubts about the legality of the strikes have clouded the military campaign and have surfaced in practically every news story about the matter. While the Pentagon’s spokesman has repeatedly said “we are on firm legal ground,” journalists keep quoting legal experts and even some current officials who say otherwise.

Hegseth’s crackdowns on press access to the Pentagon complex have not deterred rigorous reporting ab

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