Hegseth makes surprise trip to Middle East
by Sean Salai · The Washington TimesSecretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has made a surprise visit to troops in the Middle East.
Mr. Hegseth announced on social media late Monday that he was already on the ground in an unspecified location.
“As always, it was an honor to visit our warfighters in [U.S. Central Command] today,” he wrote. “The best of our country, on a historic mission. Godspeed.”
People were interested in these podcasts
Axios and Reuters reported that an anonymous source said Mr. Hegseth also met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Multiple news outlets reported that the Pentagon declined to comment on his trip or confirm the meeting.
Israel will hold parliamentary elections on Oct. 27, its first national vote since the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023. U.S. and Israeli forces launched joint strikes on Iran in late February, triggering a wider regional war.
On Sunday, President Trump endorsed Mr. Netanyahu for reelection. Vice President J.D. Vance declined to do the same a day later, citing a desire to stay focused on U.S. midterm elections.
Contact the author
Sean Salai
Follow author updates Follow Click to follow. Manage followed authors