"US Military Deserves Nobel Peace Prize Every Year," Says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Hegseth argued that American troops ensure global peace and security by fighting "correctly." However, just seconds prior to this claim, he stated with bravado that under his leadership, the U.S. military is now capable of unleashing "maximum violence" against any enemy. These remarks were made on Friday during a press conference regarding the war in Iran.

During the conference, a journalist asked Hegseth whether he was considering renaming the "Department of War" to the "Department of Peace" given the current circumstances. In response, Hegseth invoked the theory of "Peace Through Strength," asserting that the U.S. military is deserving of the prize because it guarantees the security of many people worldwide. Yet, in the same breath, he added, "I want our soldiers to have the capacity to bring maximum violence against the enemy. Because war is violent. I want our people to come home, and I want their [the enemy's] people to not be able to return."

Hegseth’s comments come at a time when attacks by U.S. and Israeli forces in Iran have reportedly resulted in over 3,300 deaths, including 1,700 civilians and a large number of children. International human rights experts have raised allegations of war crimes against the United States and Israel in this conflict. Previously, President Trump had threatened the destruction of Iranian civilian sites and civilization, while Hegseth himself had criticized international rules designed to prevent civilian killings as "rules of stupidity." Against this backdrop of devastation, the demand for a Nobel Prize for the U.S. military has ignited fresh controversy across the globe.