Critics ridicule Hegseth for 'gaslighting' on Iran ceasefire: 'Operation wishful thinking'
Source: Raw Story · Bias: Far Left
Summary
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was widely ridiculed Wednesday after framing the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement tentatively reached on Tuesday as a “military victory,” and one that Iran “begged for,” despite many of its provisions directly contradicting some of the Trump administration’s stated war objectives.“Iran begged for this ceasefire, and we all know it,” Hegseth claimed during a Pentagon press briefing.Despite Hegseth’s framing of the ceasefire agreement, Iranian military officer and spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari described it as “a great victory” for Iran that “forced criminal America to accept its ten-point plan.” And yet, Hegseth continued to frame the agreement as a decisive victory for the United States, which he suggested had forced Iran’s hand.“The gaslighting stopped working,” wrote liberal influencer Brian Krassenstein in a social media post on X to their nearly 1 million followers, responding to Hegseth’s claim that Iran had “suffered a devastating military defeat.”“Press briefing Operation Wishful Thinking,” wrote another, Belgian political commentator Kurt Vanderheyden, in a social media post on X.After threatening to destroy Iran’s entire civilization Tuesday morning by 8 p.m. EST that same night, Trump announced – just hours ahead of his deadline – that his administration had tentatively agreed to a 10-point peace plan submitted by Tehran. The plan would require the United States to refrain from further attacks on Iran, agree to a permanent end to the war, lift all sanctions, and allow Iran to retain control of the Strait of Hormuz, among other provisions.“How did they get defeated when they are making more money from the Strait of Hormuz and they stand to get sanctions relief?” Krassenstein wrote in another response to Hegseth’s briefing. “Meanwhile they get a more extreme leader, we spent $42 billion, and our gas prices are through the roof. We lost. They gained.”And Mediate politics writer Jennifer Bowers Bahney, also responding to Hegseth’s claim that Iran had suffered a “devastating military defeat,” suggested that “no one believes a word” from Hegseth or the White House regarding Iran.How did they get defeated when they are making more money from the Strait of Hormuz and they stand to get sanctions relief? Meanwhile they get a more extreme leader, we spent $42 billion, and our gas prices are through the roof. We lost. They gained.— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) April 8, 2026
Related Coverage
- Critics mangle MAGA’s crusade to make the nation 'sad and pathetic' like itself (Left — Alternet.org)
- What Is Iran Building Now in the Zagros Mountains? (Right — RedState)
- Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz remains a powerful bargaining chip (Center — NPR Topics: News)
- Inside the security operations for July Fourth celebrations in D.C. (Center — Politics - CBSNews.com)
- Luka Doncic weighs in on new-look Lakers roster amid heavy criticism (Right — New York Post)
- Iran threatens response without ‘full implementation’ of US deal (Center — The Hill News)
- Hegseth reportedly pulled plug on troop cuts in europe (Far Right — BizPac Review)
- Iran’s supreme leader bails on first day of late dad’s funeral ceremonies (Right — New York Post)
Daily Analysis
Read the full Parallax Pulse for April 8, 2026 — an AI-powered analysis of how Left and Right media covered the biggest stories this day.
More Headlines From April 8, 2026
- Republican Projected to Hold Marjorie Taylor Greene’s House Seat (Center)
- US oil prices fall over 18% after Trump agrees to two-week ceasefire with Iran (Center Right)
- New York Wants a Cut of Counter-Strike's Loot Boxes (Center Right)
- Republican Clay Fuller to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in House (Center)
- 5 US House races shift toward Democrats: Cook Political Report (Right)






