Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shut down a question from a reporter on Tuesday, rebutting the “false premise” that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could pull President Donald Trump back into open conflict with Iran.

The tense exchange came at the end of the Pentagon press briefing on the Iran conflict, when Zero Hedge White House correspondent Liam Cosgrove asked a lengthy question citing comments he attributed to Netanyahu and Israeli’s Mossad chief on the country’s “intent” to continue fighting “until the Iranian government collapses.”

“They’re referring to the government that President Trump has brokered a ceasefire with and is working on a lasting peace in the region with. And so that’s something many Americans, especially American farmers, are hoping he does get to, a lasting peace,” Cosgrove said.

He continued: “So if President Trump is successful in that and the Israelis are explicitly stating their intent to continue fighting at a later date, how can you assure America doesn’t get roped back into a war if that comes, and secondly, with Netanyahu comfortable tweeting something like that out and also Netanyahu has continued bombing Lebanon despite President Trump explicitly –”

Before the the reporter could finish, Hegseth cut in.

“I would say your question is based on the false premise that somehow President Trump is being pulled in by Prime Minister Netanyahu to any of these actions,” the defense secretary said.

Before Cosgrove could counter, Hegseth quipped: “That’s where you’re going.”

“Just to be clear,” he said. “President Trump has led at every step of this based on his view of American interests and America First. And we’re grateful that Israelis have been very capable partners at many steps of this and they may have some objectives that, at times, that are slightly different than ours, but there’s only one hand on the wheel ultimately directing this, whether it’s Project Freedom or previously Operation Epic Fury, and it’s President Trump.”

He continued: “So we’re grateful for their input, their insights, the existential nature of the threat they face from an Iranian bomb, the capabilities that they can bring to that. But ultimately, the coordination will happen with the leadership of President Trump.”

With that he ended the briefing.

Watch above via Fox News.

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