Pete Hegseth shares photos from secret visit to US troops fighting Iran: ‘I witnessed warriors’

WASHINGTON, DC: On Tuesday, March 31, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, released exclusive photos of his secret Saturday trip to visit troops, stating he was there to "bear witness" to the American forces currently engaged in the Iran war. 

Hegseth used the visit to highlight the intense "warrior spirit" of the men and women executing the high-stakes ‘Operation Epic Fury.’

Hegseth shares clips from secret trip to support American forces

The newly released images show Hegseth deeply involved with the troops during his half-day journey. 

In the photos, he is seen shaking hands with soldiers on the ground and speaking to groups in the field. 

One image shows Hegseth wearing a military aviation headset, likely speaking with pilots who were preparing to carry out bombing missions against Iranian targets. 

Following the trip, Hegseth took to X to share his impressions of the service members he met. 

“I witnessed warriors,” he wrote, describing the units as “A brotherhood of men and women – warriors all.”

Hegseth praises 'wartime speed' and military unity

Earlier during a morning briefing at the Pentagon, Hegseth detailed the trip, calling it “an honor” to see the military in action. 

He praised the unity of the forces, noting that he saw “Active-duty, Guard and reserve, united in their love for each other, their shared purpose and their commitment to the mission.” 

He was particularly struck by the rapid pace of the operations, which he described as a display of the "best of America."

Hegseth recalled watching a C-17 transport plane land and being struck by how quickly the ground crews moved. 

“Within 30 seconds of the aircraft coming to a full stop, a team on the ground pulled up, and the cargo was being unloaded. Wartime speed,” he said. 

He noted that this urgency was everywhere, stating that in the air and the tactical centers, the message was clear, “we want everything faster. Higher op tempo. Wartime speed.”

Hegseth rejects comparisons to long-term Iraq and Afghan conflicts

Furthermore, Hegseth also highlighted a distinct shift in morale and purpose compared to the prolonged engagements of previous decades. 

He argued that the current atmosphere among troops is fundamentally different from the fatigue associated with the post-9/11 era. 

“The feeling was the exact opposite of the rotational units, year after year, in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that we are so familiar with,” he explained. 

He suggested that, unlike those past conflicts, where “it was always about the next rotation, never knowing when the mission would end or exactly what the mission was,” the current campaign possesses a sharper focus.