Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised Iran’s state-run media as “reasonable” while attacking the US press during an address announcing a new autonomous Pentagon command.
“Our so-called press makes Iranian state media look reasonable,” Hegseth said as he opened a forceful criticism of American journalism during his State of the Force address to senior military leaders in Quantico, Virginia, on Wednesday.
The former Fox News host, who now leads the War Department, used the speech to intensify his long-running confrontation with US journalists. Earlier this summer, as the war with Iran escalated, he barred reporters from the Pentagon’s press office.
Hegseth accused major news organizations of attacking President Trump as an act of “political retribution.” He also claimed that members of the press suffer from “Trump derangement syndrome” and accused American journalists of “national betrayal” in their coverage of the unpopular conflict.
“Partisan activism that intentionally smears the troops and the historic mission they’re undertaking is fundamentally anti-American. It’s sick. It’s a national betrayal.”
Alongside his criticism of the media and praise for Iranian state outlets, Hegseth announced the creation of a new “autonomous” military command.
The Autonomous Warfare Command, known as “AutoWarCom,” will oversee the purchase, testing and deployment of drones and robotic systems intended for US military personnel.
Hegseth said the new command is expected to become operational by October 2027.
“Our so-called press makes Iranian state media look reasonable,” Hegseth said as he launched a fierce criticism of the US media during his State of the Force address to senior military leaders in Quantico, Virginia, on Wednesday
Hegseth announced the creation of a new “autonomous” military command focused on drone warfare while also attacking the US press and praising Iranian state media
The US is working to develop low-cost autonomous systems that can be manufactured quickly and deployed around the world. Ukraine’s successful drone industry has reportedly encouraged Pentagon planners to emphasize artificial intelligence-enabled battlefield tactics
Owen West, a War Department official and former Marine, and Max Strasiser, a Navy SEAL test pilot, will lead the initiative on an interim basis until a four-star officer is chosen to command it.
Placing a four-star general or admiral in charge would give AutoWarCom a status comparable to major commands such as Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, and AFRICOM, which is responsible for Africa.
The command’s central mission will be to rapidly build a supply chain for affordable autonomous military systems, giving US forces a potential advantage in conflicts around the world.
Hegseth also said SpaceX chief Elon Musk, Anduril founder Palmer Luckey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will take part in “Project Meridian,” an initiative examining the future of warfare and the technologies expected to shape it.
The group is expected to deliver a report on the future of war within 120 days.
Drones and autonomous weapons have become defining features of conflicts fought during the current decade.
Ukrainian drones have played a crucial role in resisting Russia’s years-long invasion. Their relatively low cost and ease of production have given the smaller country greater flexibility on the battlefield.
Iran has launched thousands of domestically produced drones at US and Israeli targets during the ongoing war, with some attacks producing devastating results.
Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones sit on the tarmac at a base in the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations. The platforms form part of a one-way attack drone squadron recently deployed by CENTCOM to the Middle East to bolster regional security and deterrence
SpaceX founder Elon Musk will help the Department of War study the future of warfare. He is expected to co-author a report within the next 120 days informing the Pentagon of his findings
Hegseth addressed a room full of senior-level officers from across the military branches
Taking note, the Pentagon’s latest budget request includes three times the funding it previously sought for drone and counterdrone capabilities.
In its latest approximately $1.5 trillion budget request, the Pentagon asked $74 billion for drones alone, meaning roughly five percent of the total budget is earmarked for the AI-enabled weaponry.
Trump has warmed to AI and hosted many industry executives at the White House this week to sign a ‘constitution’ regarding the future of the technology.
Renaming AI to ‘SI,’ or super intelligence, the president signed an executive order to rename the booming tech across the government on Tuesday.
‘Drone warfare supercharged by SI-enabled targeting is the biggest battlefield revolution in generations,’ Hegseth said Wednesday.