During a press briefing on Monday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth expressed his frustration with journalists pressing for details on the duration of the United States’ conflict with Iran. President Donald Trump had previously suggested to the Daily Mail that the military engagement could be wrapped up within four weeks. However, Hegseth refrained from endorsing or elaborating on this timeline. He emphasized the current administration’s policy against disclosing specific war strategies, noting that such transparency could potentially aid adversaries.

The briefing, which took place at the Pentagon, was held by Hegseth alongside Joint Chiefs of Staff member Dan Caine. It followed a series of strikes in the Middle East after nuclear peace talks fell apart over the weekend. General Caine acknowledged that the U.S. strike on Iran extended beyond a single day’s operation but did not specify the expected duration of the conflict. When asked by a reporter whether the President’s four-week estimate was accurate, Hegseth dismissed the inquiry as a “typical NBC sort of gotcha question.”

Hegseth defended President Trump’s projection, stating, “The President has complete freedom to discuss potential timelines—whether it be four weeks, two weeks, or six weeks. It could change.” He stressed the administration’s commitment to achieving its objectives under the President’s direction. In his exclusive comments to the Daily Mail, President Trump had remarked, “We expect it will be about a four-week process. Given the size and strength of the country, it should take four weeks or possibly less.”

He also said on the call that he expects more US casualties after three service members were killed in the fighting over the weekend. The death of a fourth US soldier was announced by the Pentagon Monday morning. ‘They’re great people,’ Trump said of the fallen. ‘And, you know, we expect that to happen, unfortunately. Could happen continuous – it could happen again.’ Reporters at the Pentagon on Monday sought some clarity on US plans for the conflict, questioning how long it could last and if US boots would be deployed on the ground in Iran.

‘I don’t want to talk specifics because that would tip the enemy off,’ Caine said, reiterating the same sentiment Hegseth shared at the press briefing. Amid US operations, an Israeli strike over the weekend killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ending his 36-year reign in Iran. But Trump revealed that the ‘very good choices’ he had in mind to replace the Ayatollah were no longer viable because the brutal firefight ‘knocked out most of the candidates.’