'He's an embarrassment:' Ilhan Omar blasts Pete Hegseth amid criticism over handling of Iran war

WASHINGTON, DC: Ilhan Omar criticized Pete Hegseth, calling him “pathetic” and “an embarrassment to Minnesota," during a Capitol Hill interview on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Her remarks come as Hegseth continue to lead the Pentagon amid heightened tensions, aggressive rhetoric, and controversial statements regarding Iran.

Omar says Hegseth is an 'embarrassment' on a national stage

When a reporter asked Omar about Hegseth—saying, “Any comment… We've been watching his press conferences. He’s saying all these crazy things”, Omar responded, “I mean, what can you say… he’s always been pretty pathetic?”

The reporter replied, “Yeah,” after which Omar added, “It pains me as a Minnesotan… that’s the person that we have in the administration.” She also said she hopes he is replaced, calling him “an embarrassment on a national [and] international stage.”

Not only Omar, but several Democrats and national security experts have criticized Hegseth for his remarks on Iran and his handling of military policy amid the ongoing conflict, saying his rhetoric and actions raise serious concerns.

On Friday, March 13, Hegseth said the US military campaign against Iran has been a huge success. At a Pentagon press conference, he accused journalists of ignoring Washington’s supposed victories on the battlefield.

Speaking with the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pete Hegseth claimed Iran no longer has a working air force, navy, or missile defenses after 13 days of strikes. He also said the US-Israeli air campaign had hit more than 15,000 targets since the war began.

“The United States is decimating the radical Iranian regime’s military in a way the world has never seen before,” Hegseth told reporters.

Pete Hegseth faced backlash after his press briefing over six US soldiers killed in the Iran war

Democrats criticized Hegseth after he downplayed media coverage of six American soldiers killed in the war with Iran. Hegseth accused the press of focusing on the deaths to make President Donald Trump “look bad.” These were the first US casualties in the conflict, just a day after the US launched Operation Epic Fury.

At a Pentagon briefing on March 4, Hegseth said the US was “winning decisively,” but complained that when drones got through or tragedies happened, it became front-page news. He added, “I get it – the press only wants to make the president look bad. But try for once to report the reality.”

Rep Eugene Vindman, a 25-year Army veteran, called Hegseth’s comments “disgusting and despicable,” saying the soldiers’ sacrifice deserved honor. “Instead, the Secretary of Defense is worried about how their deaths make the president look. That is a grievous insult to every service member who has worn the uniform. As a 25-year Army veteran who served in Iraq, I am appalled.”

Sen Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, also said service members “deserve a president and a Secretary of Defense who respect their service and sacrifice.”

The six soldiers were killed when an Iranian drone hit a temporary operations center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. The drone reportedly bypassed US defenses and exploded at a military base that seemed exposed, raising concerns about the safety of US forces in the Middle East.