Hegseth, Pentagon pressured F-15 crew to appear in '60 Minutes' Iran rescue story, CNN reports

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and political officials in his office pressured two crew members from an F-15 jet shot down over Iran in April to participate in a special 60 Minutes episode on CBS about their rescue operation, CNN reported on Sunday.

The two crew members were initially reluctant to be interviewed. One of them reportedly raised concerns that he could be ordered to take part in the program, while military officials expressed concern that the interview could expose classified details about the rescue operation while fighting with Iran was still ongoing.

Two sources told CNN that political officials in Hegseth's office initially insisted that both crew members participate in the interview.

After the two expressed their reservations, Hegseth met with them privately and asked whether they wanted to participate rather than forcing them to appear on the program. Following the meeting, one crew member, identified in the report by the nickname "Bravo," agreed to appear on camera and discuss his experience. The second, identified as "Alpha," decided not to take part.

Concerns over Hegseth's security and political messaging

The episode went beyond a routine dispute over a television interview, CNN said. The network described the affair as an example of how Hegseth's office has sought to shape the public narrative surrounding the war with Iran, which CNN reported has become less popular among the public and has increased pressure on the defense secretary to highlight successes and declare achievements.

The report said Hegseth was unusually involved in the production details of the segment, far more than is customary for a US defense secretary. He and his staff were eager to present a dramatic reconstruction of the incident on 60 Minutes, particularly the rescue operation.

The event provided material for a television feature almost on its own. The F-15 pilot was located within hours after the aircraft was shot down by Iranian forces. The second crew member, a weapons systems officer, spent more than a day evading approaching Iranian forces. At one point, he climbed through difficult terrain to a ridge about 7,000 feet high, carrying mainly a pistol, communications equipment, and a locator beacon.

He was eventually rescued by a US commando force, while American aircraft bombed targets in the area to enable the extraction. Despite experiencing the longer and more dramatic ordeal, the weapons systems officer was the one who ultimately agreed to be interviewed, while the pilot declined.

CNN reported that military officials were concerned not only about the pressure placed on the crew members, but also about the possibility that the White House and the Pentagon would use the soldiers' heroism and the rescue operation for political purposes. Two sources told the network that military personnel feared the segment was intended to turn the successful rescue into a public relations tool for Hegseth and the Trump administration.

Pentagon rejects CNN account

Security concerns were another factor. Military officials feared that a detailed account of the rescue mission could expose methods and tactics to Iran while the war was still underway. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine was involved in some of the discussions over the possibility that the program could unintentionally reveal military tactics to an adversary. Despite those concerns, he decided to participate in the program.

The Pentagon rejected CNN's account entirely.

"This entire story is completely false." The department's chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, said.

"The decision to participate in the interview was solely up to each of the pilots, because this is their story."

Parnell said one crew member decided to participate while the other did not, adding that the Pentagon took precautions to protect operational security, sources, and methods.

CBS also conducted an intensive effort to secure the interview. CNN reported that executive producer Bari Weiss considered access to the crew members one of the network's top priorities and personally contacted Hegseth to secure exclusive access for CBS. She also approached additional officials in the Trump administration.

The segment took on particular importance for 60 Minutes ahead of the launch of its new season, after months of internal turmoil at the network. The interview was approved only in mid-July and filmed in mid-August.

Within the Pentagon, Tammy Radabaugh, who previously worked as Hegseth's producer at Fox News and moved with him to the Defense Department as a senior adviser, played a significant role in coordinating the appearance. Hegseth himself had previously given a rare interview to the program.

In a CBS promo, "Bravo" is seen sitting across from correspondent and morning show host Norah O'Donnell, who asks him: "Did you ever doubt that the US military was going to come rescue you?"

The full interview is scheduled to air Sunday night in the US. Before it was broadcast, however, it had already become part of a broader debate in Washington over where the line lies between presenting military heroism to the public and using a dramatic rescue operation as a tool in the battle for public opinion surrounding the war with Iran.