MS NOW host Jonathan Lemire suggested that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could be the official to take the blame for President Donald Trump's ongoing conflict in Iran. Lemire made the comments on Tuesday's episode of "Morning Joe," noting that Trump may need to find someone to pay the price for the war, which began in February and shows no sign of concluding after the collapse of a ceasefire.
At least 18 U.S. service members have died in the conflict thus far. Lemire stated that Hegseth, despite still being liked by the president, "does not have that many fans in the administration otherwise." He added that this has been the case since the transition period, when Hegseth allegedly was not entirely truthful with vetting teams about past issues.
While Trump currently supports Hegseth, Lemire indicated that if the conflict continues to drag on for months, whether as a low-level engagement or a high-intensity resumption of fighting, Trump will likely look for a scapegoat. Lemire finds it "hard to imagine it being anyone other than Pete Hegseth" taking that role.