Trump’s ‘Secretary of War’ is busy – pumping iron – whereas the president considers army strikes on Iran | EUROtoday

While President Donald Trump and his high advisers are mulling army strikes on Iran, “Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth has been busy doing bench presses within the gymnasium.

The Defense Secretary featured in a collection of movies on official U.S. authorities social media accounts this week, displaying off his abilities.

“Gotta keep the butt down,” Hegseth suggested viewers earlier than he racked weights, in a single clip posted on the “Department of War Rapid Response” X account.

In one other video shared Friday Hegseth, a army veteran, was cheered on by troops at his former base Fort Campbell as he bench-pressed in entrance of them. Several clips of Hegseth understanding, together with the place he tried to bench press 300lbs together with his teenage son recognizing him, had been shared on his X account and the speedy response account between Thursday and Saturday.

“The warrior ethos is alive and well at Fort Campbell,” Hegseth captioned a submit Saturday with images of him holding an ax, addressing troops beneath a banner that learn “Let valor not fail,” and once more understanding.

Hegseth’s “fitspo” content material was posted as Trump instructed reporters Friday that he’s “considering” ordering airstrikes on Iran.

“As Trump moves the military closer to war with Iran there is this,” CNN’s Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr commented on the video of Hegseth pumping iron together with his son.

Starr’s sentiment was shared amongst different social media customers. “Doesn’t really look like he’s invading Iran today,” quipped one account.

“Bro, go do your job…” mentioned one other.

“He’s the secretary of war not a fitness influencer,” one particular person commented. “I know for a fact Irans [sic] SecWar can’t bench 315,” another person joked.

But Hegseth’s followers chimed in with help. “Ok to be fair, its [sic] nice having a Secretary of War bench 315,” one particular person famous. “315 is respectable,” one other identified.

Hegseth’s gymnasium periods at Fort Campbell observe the same show he placed on Wednesday with Dr. Mehmet Oz, who heads up the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, on the TV character’s Palm Beach, Florida, residence.

“Secretary @PeteHegseth visited us for a beachside brunch — he can turn a leisurely afternoon into a MAHA extravaganza with tree pull-ups, a cold plunge, and a Mediterranean feast!” Oz posted Wednesday on X, with photos of the pair doing pull-ups on palm timber.

In the identical week, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. additionally shared a weird video the place he labored out in nothing however a pair of denims with musician Kid Rock.

Trump met Wednesday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff, particular envoy for the Middle East, and son-in-law Jared Kushner, a particular envoy for peace, in response to Axios. The group mentioned “next steps” within the Iran disaster with Trump after the united statesdelegation returned from high-stakes talks in Geneva.

The president instructed reporters Friday that he’s “considering” airstrikes on Iran to strain the nation’s authorities into a brand new settlement to curb its nuclear program – one which Trump claimed to have “obliterated” with a collection of strikes final yr.

“I guess I can say I am considering that,” Trump mentioned, when requested by reporters if he was contemplating restricted strikes with U.S. warplanes.

The U.S. has been increase army belongings within the Middle East as tensions develop with Tehran. The U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln plane service was noticed off the coast of Oman this week and can quickly be joined by the world’s largest warship, the $13bn U.S.S. Gerald R Ford. The ongoing buildup has seen destroyers and specialist fight ships transfer to cowl Iran’s southern flank as F-15 and EA-18 fighter jets collect numbers throughout army bases to the west.

At a Thursday assembly to advertise Trump’s Board of Peace, the place he additionally touted efforts in ending Israel’s struggle in Gaza, the president warned that Tehran should attain an settlement with the U.S. on curbing its nuclear program or threat “bad things.”

Not everybody within the Trump administration is supportive of army strikes, in response to Reutersciting a senior White House official who mentioned Saturday there was no “unified support” in launching an assault on Iran. Aides as a substitute need the president to concentrate on pushing financial issues forward of the 2026 midterms, in response to the information company.