CNN Report: Hegseth Pushed F-15 Airmen Downed Over Iran to Appear on ’60 Minutes’

CNN reported that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held private meetings with two Air Force airmen whose F-15 aircraft was downed over Iran prior to his official appointment. According to the report, Hegseth and his associates aimed to persuade the two military personnel to appear on the television program '60 Minutes'. One of the airmen reportedly agreed to the request, while the other declined. In response to the report, a Pentagon spokesperson dismissed all claims made by CNN as a complete lie. The report emerges at a time when details regarding military operations in Iranian airspace remain subject to significant security and political sensitivity in Washington.