Washington, March 31 US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday claimed that he is ready for “boots on the ground” and that the conflict will end on their terms. He also stated that if dialogue fails, “negotiations with bombs” will be pursued.
At a press conference in Washington, DC, to provide an update on “Operation Epic Fury,” Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Kaine answered questions about upcoming plans, President Donald Trump’s stance, and military options.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that negotiations with Iran are ongoing and gaining momentum, but military options remain open. The US could launch a ground invasion if necessary. However, this may not be necessary.
Responding to a question, he said that the US strategy is to remain somewhat unpredictable, so that the enemy cannot guess what the next move will be.
He said, “You can neither fight nor win a war unless you tell your adversary what you are willing and what you are not willing to do—including deploying ground troops.”
Hegseth further said, “Our adversary is currently thinking there are 15 different ways we can attack them with ground troops.”
He said that if necessary, the US “could implement those options. Or perhaps we may not need to use them at all. Perhaps negotiations could work. The key is to remain unpredictable in this matter—certainly not let anyone know what you are willing and what you are not willing to do.”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Kaine also told reporters that the “range of military options” the US military can implement is “quite broad.”
He said, “I wouldn’t want to limit the president’s decision-making, but there are several things—most importantly, Iran should consider—that our troops are there and they serve as a pressure point. So, I believe they should carefully consider this at the diplomatic level, given the current situation.”
Responding to a question about Trump’s aggressive stance against NATO, Hegseth clarified that “the mission will end on our terms.” To paraphrase the president, there’s no doubt about that. As for NATO, that decision will be left to the president. But I would just say that a lot has become clear.
He sarcastically said, “The world has seen what our allies are willing to do for America when we undertake such a large-scale effort on behalf of the free world. Their missiles don’t even have America in range. They reach our allies and others. Yet, when we ask for additional assistance or even basic airspace clearance, we face questions, obstruction, or hesitation.”
Hegseth then concluded by explaining the meaning of Trump’s “Truth” post, saying that the president was implying that if you have countries that are unwilling to stand with you when needed, then your alliances are meaningless.
