Hegseth responds to Pope's criticism: 'We know what authority we have' (opens in new tab)

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday defended the U.S. military operation against Iran amid President Trump’s ongoing feud with Pope Leo XIV, head of the Catholic Church. “The Pope’s gonna do his thing, that’s fine,” Hegseth told reporters at a Pentagon briefing. “We know what our mission is, we know what authority we have. We’re very clear about that,...