Pete Hegseth Pressed on ‘Fellow Fox News Alum’ Tucker Carlson’s Unhinged ‘Unconditional Surrender’ Rape Theory

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was pressed Friday about remarks by his former Fox News colleague Tucker Carlson, who claimed this week that President Donald Trump’s demand for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” is known to mean and lead to atrocities of rape against civilians.

During a Pentagon briefing Q&A on the conflict, a reporter highlighted growing dissent within parts of the conservative movement, and quoted Carlson aloud to ask specifically for Hegseth’s reaction.

“Polls show over 80% of Republicans support the president’s military action in Iran. But there’s some consternation in parts of the party, particularly from your fellow Fox News alum Tucker Carlson,” the reporter said. “He called the war ‘disgusting and evil’ and then said of unconditional surrender, which the president has called for, means, ‘Foreign troops get to rape your wives and daughters.’ Have you heard these comments, and what’s your reaction to them?”

Hegseth, however, declined to engage with Carlson’s criticism directly.

“We’re busy executing on behalf of great patriotic Americans with a clear mission that’s 47 years overdue, and we’re going to execute on that regardless of what people say about it,” he replied.

Carlson made the controversial claim last week, hours after the president took to Truth Social to insist there will be no peace agreement with Tehran unless it accepts “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.”

During his interview with Breaking Points co-host Saagar Enjeti for The Tucker Carlson Show, the host argued that historically, the concept of unconditional surrender carries brutal consequences for conquered populations.

“Unconditional surrender means foreign troops get to rape your wife and daughter if they want. And everyone knows that,” Carlson said.

“It would require weapons of mass destruction. It would require, presumably, nuclear weapons. And let’s not lie to ourselves, we’re moving toward that,” he added.

Watch above via MS NOW.

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