Defense Now

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holds a critical press briefing today, April 8, 2026, officially announcing a two-week ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran. The White House is declaring the conclusion of "Operation Epic Fury" a definitive victory, confirming the operation achieved its core military objectives in exactly 38 days and secured the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping.

Leavitt emphasizes that the success of the U.S. military created "maximum leverage" for negotiations. We break down the administration's official statements, what this means for the global economy, and the upcoming briefing from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine.

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Defense Now

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan "Raizin" Caine address the nation live from the Pentagon regarding the 2-week ceasefire and the upcoming phases of Operation Epic Fury. Will the region stabilize, or is the U.S. military preparing for a massive shift?

As Operation Epic Fury reaches a critical pivot point, the Pentagon breaks down the tactical realities on the ground. We are bringing you the unfiltered, live coverage of this joint briefing to analyze the strategic posture of U.S. forces, regional troop movements, and the strict conditions of the newly announced two-week ceasefire.

20 hours ago | [YT] | 40

Defense Now

Experience the unrelenting pace of U.S. Navy flight operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Recorded on April 7, 2026, during Operation Epic Fury, this footage showcases the coordinated chaos of the flight deck as U.S. Sailors launch and recover carrier-based tactical aircraft. Carrier Strike Groups like the Abraham Lincoln provide unmatched mobile power projection, enabling continuous air support and strike capabilities deep into hostile territory.

1 day ago | [YT] | 53

Defense Now

Watch a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon perform a critical mid-air refueling with a KC-135 Stratotanker. Captured on April 2, 2026, this aerial refueling ensures U.S. tactical fighters can maintain their strike packages and air superiority operations deep into the Middle East during Operation Epic Fury. Mid-air refueling is the backbone of the long-range power projection currently dismantling Iranian security infrastructure.

1 day ago | [YT] | 61

Defense Now

Welcome to the official commissioning ceremony of the 10th CST (April 2026). Join us for the official Commissioning Ceremony of the 10th Civil Support Team (CST), recorded on April 7, 2026. This ceremony honors the dedication, readiness, and official activation of the unit's leadership and personnel as they prepare to support homeland defense and emergency response missions.

1 day ago | [YT] | 116

Defense Now

U.S. Vice President JD Vance delivers remarks in Budapest, Hungary, standing alongside Prime Minister Viktor Orbán just days before a crucial parliamentary election. In an unprecedented show of support, Vance openly endorsed the Hungarian leader, sharply criticized the European Union, and praised Orbán’s stance on energy security and Western values.

Welcome back to DEFENSE NOW. In this video, we analyze the strategic implications of VP Vance’s visit, the declaration of a "golden age" in U.S.-Hungarian relations, and how this alliance factors into the broader geopolitical landscape, including the ongoing conflict with Iran and shifting dynamics in Europe.

1 day ago | [YT] | 48

Defense Now

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. Against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the Middle East and a shifting security landscape in the Indo-Pacific, the two leaders are focusing on mutual defense priorities, economic cooperation, and diplomatic strategy.

1 day ago | [YT] | 54

Defense Now

U.S. Vice President JD Vance delivers remarks alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Budapest during a critical moment in European geopolitics. Just days before Hungary's highly contested 2026 parliamentary elections, this visit signals a major strengthening of ties between the Trump administration and Orbán's government.

1 day ago | [YT] | 41

Defense Now

Trump, Hegseth, Caine Laud Successful Rescue of Downed Airmen in Iran
April 6, 2026 | By Matthew Olay
During a White House press conference today, President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, lauded the military's success in a harrowing Easter weekend rescue of two airmen.

The two service members' F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was downed by enemy forces in Iran, April 3, while flying in support of Operation Epic Fury.

"This has been one of our better Easters, I think, in a lot of different ways [and] I can say, militarily, it's been one of the best," the president said at the outset of his remarks.

Both service members were successfully recovered in just under 48 hours from when the mission to save them began.

Trump described his decision to launch the operation as "risky" because it could have put the lives of a significant number of U.S. personnel at risk while trying to rescue the two individuals.

"It's a hard decision to make, but in the U.S. military, we leave no American behind; we don't do it," Trump said.

"Over this Easter weekend, the United States military has once again proved why we possess the greatest fighting force the world has ever known. In two extraordinary combat search and rescue operations deep inside enemy territory — in Iran — our warriors executed missions of breathtaking skill, courage and precision," Hegseth told the media.

"When our warriors are unleashed — as this president has allowed them to be — they are unstoppable," he continued.

Caine explained that shortly after the F-15's downing in the early morning, April 3, the joint personnel recovery center operating in U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility declared an isolated personnel event after both the pilot and the weapons system officer had successfully ejected from the aircraft behind enemy lines.

Shortly thereafter, a rescue force composed of 21 aircraft, including A-10 Thunderbolt attack planes, KC-130 search and rescue aircraft, HH-60W Jolly Green IIs and a package of Air Force special warfare combat rescue officers and pararescue operators, went into enemy territory to locate and recover the downed airmen.

"Over the next hours, the search and rescue task force crossed the beach, entered into Iranian airspace — protected by a fighter strike package — and moved into the objective area, all under [enemy] fire," Caine explained.

Trump said the first wave of search and rescue forces was able to locate and extract the pilot in an HH-60W while taking on heavy fire, but without casualties.

"It's amazing that, when you look at the [damage to the] machinery … that nobody was even injured," Trump said.

Meanwhile, Trump said, the second crew member had landed at a significant distance from the F-15's pilot.

He found himself badly injured and, in an area teeming with members of the enemy Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, besieged by Iranian military militia and Iranian citizens who were incentivized by the regime to try to locate the downed airman.

Still, the airman managed to evade capture by scaling treacherous mountain terrain, ascending in altitude and scaling cliffs until he was in an adequate spot to contact rescue forces and transmit his location, Trump said.

The president added that the second rescue mission involved 155 aircraft, many of which were involved in subterfuge to trick regime forces into thinking the rescue personnel were looking for the downed airman at various decoy sites.

"We wanted to have them think he was in a different location, because [the regime] had a vast military force out there; thousands of people were looking," Trump said.

The president also noted that the downed F-15 was the U.S. military's only manned aircraft to be downed by enemy fire since Epic Fury began Feb. 28.

"It was a lucky hit; [Iran] got lucky," Trump said.

"But we got lucky, too, because we got both [of the airmen] back," he added.

2 days ago | [YT] | 63

Defense Now

President Trump delivers a critical update from the Brady Press Briefing Room on the ongoing U.S. military operations in Iran, mounting friction with European allies, and a major shift at the southern border. Get the tactical breakdown on DEFENSE NOW.

In today’s defense update, we analyze the latest White House press conference detailing the systematic dismantling of Iranian missile capabilities and the intense U.S. satellite surveillance over Iranian nuclear sites. The administration issued a stark warning regarding any attempts to restart nuclear activity. We also cover the unexpected geopolitical fallout as European allies like Spain and France restrict U.S. military transit, and provide a domestic security update on the plunging border crossing numbers resulting from heightened enforcement.

2 days ago | [YT] | 110