AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The broadcast of an interview with one of the two US F-15 fighter pilots targeted over Iran last spring and rescued after what was called a large-scale military operation has faced criticism regarding the Pentagon and CBS's efforts to reconstruct the narrative of the Iran war.
CBS aired this interview on Sunday on the program "60 Minutes"; a report that was supposed to be the behind-the-scenes narrative of the rescue operation of two American military personnel from Iran.
Media reports indicate that the office of Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of War, had pressured for both crew members to appear on this program, an action that raised concerns among military officials about the political use of this operation and the possible disclosure of classified information.
According to a CNN report, both military personnel initially had doubts about conducting the interview, and one of them was even worried about being pressured or ordered to appear on the program. Some military officials also warned that recounting the details of the rescue operation, especially while American forces remain engaged in the war with Iran, could lead to the inadvertent disclosure of classified information about military tactics, methods, and capabilities.
Despite these concerns, Hegseth's political aides insisted on conducting the interview. Eventually, Hegseth met privately with the two crew members and asked them to decide for themselves about appearing on the program. One of them, under the pseudonym "Bravo," appeared before the camera, but the other pilot, called "Alpha," refused to participate in the program.
Critics say this process shows the Pentagon has tried to use the rescue operation of American forces to produce a heroic narrative and strengthen the image of the Donald Trump administration in a war that has gradually faced public dissatisfaction. Some military personnel were also concerned that the heroism of American forces would become a propaganda tool to justify the government's performance and display success in the war.
According to CNN, reports also indicate the direct role of the Secretary of War in planning this interview, a role that, according to knowledgeable sources, went beyond the usual level of a defense secretary's involvement in producing a television program. Hegseth even provided an interview himself in the aired version of "60 Minutes."
On the other side, CBS had also made extensive efforts to obtain this interview.
Barry Weiss, the senior editor of CBS News, considered the interview with the two military personnel one of the network's main priorities and personally lobbied to gain the consent of Hegseth and other Trump administration officials. Keith Sharman, a veteran producer of "60 Minutes," also began contacting American military sources to get this interview from the very day of the rescue operation.
These efforts came as CBS, after management changes, the firing of several journalists and producers, and widespread criticism about the future of "60 Minutes," was seeking to present an exclusive and high-profile report for the program's new season.
According to the narrative broadcast in this interview, one of the fighter crew members was found in the first hours after the plane was shot down, but the other member evaded Iranian forces for more than a day. During his escape from the area, he climbed through difficult terrain and, at an altitude of about 7,000 feet, tried to hide with only a handgun, a communication device, and a tracker. Finally, the Pentagon claimed that American special forces, with air support and bombing of the area, rescued him; a narrative that Iran has rejected and called a cover-up for the failure of another operation and the loss of US military equipment, including two C-130 cargo planes, in this operation.
The BBC, referring to the criticism of American media about this documentary, wrote, "CBS has faced criticism that it aired it 'at the request of the Secretary of War' and had a 'soft approach' during its production."
The report added, "CNN and media outlets such as The Daily Beast wrote about this, and on social networks such as X, numerous users reacted to the broadcast of this conversation and called it an attempt by the Pentagon to 'repair the narrative of the highly unpopular war' of America with Iran."
Some analysts consider the broadcast of this interview to go beyond a military and television report and believe this action could be part of the Donald Trump administration's effort to manage public opinion ahead of the congressional midterm elections.
The Iran war continues as its human, military, and economic costs have become one of the vulnerable points of the Trump administration. Rising fuel prices, concerns about the continuation of military operations, and declining public support for the war could weaken the Republicans' position in the upcoming electoral races. In such an atmosphere, representing a successful rescue operation and highlighting the bravery of American forces provides an opportunity to shift public attention from the consequences of the war to "heroism" and "operational success."
Reports about the pressure from Hegseth's office on the two fighter crew members to participate in the interview have reinforced the suspicion that the Pentagon sought to create a coordinated and propagandistic narrative of the war.
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