Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt by an Iranian assassination squad, Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Secretary of War, announced in a new update on the war in the Middle East.
The dramatic announcement came during a press conference on Wednesday, where Hegseth shared fresh details about the escalating conflict in the region. According to the U.S. Secretary of War, the Iranian unit attempted to assassinate Donald Trump, but the U.S. military tracked down the group’s leader and killed him.
“Also yesterday, the leader of the unit that attempted to assassinate President Trump has been hunted down and killed,” Pete Hegseth said. “Iran tried to kill President Trump. And President Trump got the last laugh.”
The forceful remarks didn’t end there. Hegseth went on to emphasize that the United States, working alongside Israel, is making significant progress in its military campaign against Iran. Just four days after launching joint strikes, he indicated that the operation is far from over.
“We have only just begun,” Hegseth said, referring to efforts to cripple Iran’s military capabilities.
Donald Trump ‘survived Iran assassination attempt,’ officials say
He went further, claiming the U.S. is winning the fight “decisively, devastatingly and without mercy.” Additional American forces — including fighter jets and bombers — are expected to arrive in the region soon, he added.
Addressing drone threats, Hegseth said: “We have pushed every counter-UAS system possible forward, sparing no expense or capability. Like I said, this does not mean we stop everything.”
Despite the bold statements, he stressed that the mission is still in its early stages.
“It’s very early and, as President Trump has said, we will take all the time we need to make sure that we succeed… They are toast, and they know it, or at least soon enough they will know it.”
In another striking claim, Hegseth said allied forces would take full control of Iranian airspace within days.
“Starting last night and to be completed in a few days — in under a week — the two most powerful air forces in the world will have complete control of Iranian skies. Uncontested airspace.”
Earlier this week, Trump himself alleged that Iran had tried to assassinate him twice. He made the comments while speaking about the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Trump said, “I got him before he got me. They tried twice. Well, I got him first.”
