'Did Hegseth start crying?' Defense secretary ridiculed for media 'tantrum'

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) poked fun at Defense secretary Pete Hegseth for his animated performance at Thursday's news conference on destruction caused by the airstrikes on Iran.

Hegseth unleashed on the media for "spinning" the news against Trump and the U.S. military because they wouldn't take Donald Trump's word that Iran's nuclear sites were "obliterated."

"It's like in your DNA and in your blood to cheer against Trump because you want him not to be successful so bad," Hegseth said. "You have to cheer against the efficacy of these strikes. You have to hope maybe they weren't effective. Maybe the way the Trump administration is representing them isn't true. So let's take half-truths, spun information, leaked information, and then spin it. Spin it in every way we can to try to cause doubt and manipulate the mind, the public mind, over whether or not our brave pilots were successful."

Swalwell posted to social media, "Did Secretary of Defense Hegseth start crying today during his press conference? My God. Is he emotionally stable enough to lead our military?"

Other onlookers piled on Swalwell's mockery.

Liberal commentator @covie_93 posted to his 140,000 followers, "Ok hegseth you cried and have your little tantrum but we'd still like to know if the enriched Uranium was moved before the strike and if so where?"

"No, I’m not watching Pete Hegseth cry, lie, and j--- o-- Trump for half an hour. This is the most pathetic Administration in history. Just a bunch of whiny losers," wrote Army combat veteran and podcaster Fred Wellman.

Lucas Sanders, who's followed by Republicans Against Trump and 36,000 other accounts wrote, "Did Pete Hegseth start crying today during his press conference? Yikes. Was he emotionally stable enough to lead our military or not?"

"F------ crybaby Hegseth is crying about the press. For guys who love to call themselves tough guys, this administration does a lot of whining," wrote attorney Thomas Protano.