Inside Hegseth’s push to showcase Iran rescue on ‘60 Minutes’
- Posted on September 13, 2026
- By CNN
- 1 Views
- 1 min read
In brief
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Pentagon officials actively encouraged the participation of US Air Force pilots in a major '60 Minutes' television special documenting their dramatic rescue following the downing of their F-15 aircraft over Iranian airspace in April. The coordinated media strategy aimed to highlight the military's operational capabilities and the successful extraction of personnel from hostile territory, as reported by CNN correspondent Brian Stelter.
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Inside Hegseth’s push to showcase Iran rescue on ‘60 Minutes’
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and political appointees in his department pushed for the US airmen whose F-15 was shot down over Iran in April to participate in Sunday’s highly publicized “60 Minutes” report about their rescue operation, according to sources. CNN’s Brian Stelter reports.
