Pentagon declares war on Washington Post over explosive Hegseth report: 'Crime and betrayal'

WASHINGTON, DC: The Pentagon is pushing back hard against a Washington Post report published on Sunday, August 30, claiming that senior US military commanders had warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth against extending operations against Iran into 2027. 

Sean Parnell, a spokesman for Hegseth, accused the newspaper of publishing highly classified material, calling it a “crime” and a “betrayal of the force,” while also dismissing portions of the report as inaccurate.

Sean Parnell takes aim at Washington Post's report

Parnell’s response focused on how the newspaper obtained and published information from the Secretary of Defense Orders Book.

“Publishing highly classified assessments from the Secretary’s orders book is a crime,” Parnell wrote on X.

He also argued that disagreement inside the military is neither unusual nor evidence of a readiness crisis.

According to Parnell, senior military officials are expected to provide candid advice, including recommendations with which the secretary may disagree.

He described such “non-concurs” as a normal part of military decision-making and insisted that the US armed forces remain in strong shape around the world.

The exchange escalated when Washington Post military affairs reporter Dan Lamothe, whose reporting was at the center of the dispute, defended the publication of the information.

Lamothe argued that independent journalism is not a crime, particularly when the public is being asked to fund an ongoing war.

The Washington Post's public affairs spokesperson Olivia Peterson likewise defended the newspaper’s reporting, saying the organization stood by its sourcing and constitutional protections for publishing information it considers to be in the public interest. 

She even described Parnell's objection to report as “incorrect and irresponsible.”

Military dissent at center of clash

The report said four senior commanders had expressed opposition to prolonging large-scale operations against Iran.

They were identified as Adm Daryl Caudle, Gen Alexus Grynkewich, Gen Francis L Donovan and Adm Samuel Paparo, the chiefs of US Naval Operations, European Command, Southern Command and Pacific Command respectively.

Lamothe said the four commanders were listed as non-concurring with plans that would extend the Iran operations into 2027.

The dispute comes as the Pentagon faces questions about the demands of a conflict that has already consumed enormous amounts of US military resources. 

The administration has maintained that American forces remain capable of carrying out their missions, while the reported internal assessments have raised concerns about the strain of maintaining extended operations.

The Iran war began on February 28, 2026, when US and Israeli forces launched major attacks against Iran.

By August 31, the conflict had lasted roughly six months, far longer than the initial expectations that the fighting would be comparatively short.