Hegseth on reports Russia aided Iran: “Anything that shouldn’t be happening” will be “confronted strongly”

Hegseth told Major Garrett in an interview airing Sunday on “60 Minutes” that the U.S. is “tracking everything” and factoring it into battle plans. “The American people can rest assured their commander-in-chief is well aware of who’s talking to who,” he said. “And anything that shouldn’t be happening, whether it’s in public or back-channeled, is being confronted and confronted strongly.”

Earlier Friday, multiple sources, including a senior U.S. official, told CBS News that Russia is providing intelligence to Iran regarding U.S. positions in the Middle East during the ongoing joint U.S. and Israeli military operations in Iran. It was the first known indication that Russia is aiding Iran.

Asked if the American people can expect conversations with the Russians to stop their involvement in the conflict, Hegseth said Mr. Trump “has a unique relationship with a lot of world leaders where he can get things done that other presidents, certainly Joe Biden, never could have.” He added that “through direct conversations or indirect, through him one-to-one or through his Cabinet, messages definitely can be delivered.” 

When asked whether Russia’s involvement puts U.S. personnel in danger, Hegseth said: “We’re putting the other guys in danger, and that’s our job. So we’re not concerned about that. … But the only ones that need to be worried right now are Iranians that think they’re gonna live.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when asked during an appearance on Fox News about Russia providing intelligence to Iran on U.S. assets, said she could not comment on “intelligence reports that are leaked to the press.” The intelligence aid from Russia was first reported by The Washington Post. 

“Whether or not this happened, frankly, it doesn’t really matter, because President Trump and the United States military are absolutely decimating the rogue Iranian terrorist regime,” she said. 

Later, Leavitt clarified to reporters that she meant Russia sharing intelligence on U.S. assets with Iran “doesn’t matter” because “it clearly is not making a difference with respect to the military operations in Iran, because we are completely decimating them.”

Watch more of Major Garrett’s interview with Hegseth Sunday on “60 Minutes.”