During a Tuesday press briefing, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth detailed his recent surprise visit to an undisclosed U.S. Central Command base engaged in Operation Epic Fury, recalling the enthusiasm he witnessed from service members.
"We spoke to all ranks, all services—none of whom knew we were coming," Hegseth said. "It was not rehearsed or scripted. Sometimes we just wandered. What I witnessed was the American warrior unleashed."
"I met a junior airman," Hegseth shared, "who when asked what they needed, she simply looked up at me with a sly smile on her face and said, 'More bombs, sir, and bigger bombs.' We will happily oblige her."
A crew chief that the secretary flew with told Hegseth, "It's been a busy few weeks, sir. Tough stuff, but I'm so honored to be called up. This fight is long overdue. We need to address it for our kids. We cannot pass the buck. Please thank the president from us."
Hegseth described the resolve and unity of U.S. troops on the ground. "What those Americans said to me—young and old, officer and [non-commissioned officer], male and female, black and white—was, 'Let's finish the mission. Get us even more bombs, bigger bombs, more targets. Let us finish this.'"
"These troops, they want to finish this fight for their kids and their grandkids," he noted. "This is about history. This is about legacy. Success matters, and because of this president and these Americans, we're closer than ever before to winning."
