Defense

Hegseth, Caine to hold briefing Wednesday after Trump touts Iran ceasefire

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by Max Rego - 04/07/26 10:13 PM ET

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by Max Rego - 04/07/26 10:13 PM ET

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan Caine will brief the press at the Pentagon on Wednesday at 8 a.m. EDT, after President Trump announced a two-week pause on strikes against Iran.

The Pentagon previously canceled a briefing featuring Hegseth and Caine set for 8 a.m. EDT on Tuesday. That was scheduled 12 hours before Trump’s 8 p.m. EDT deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

On Tuesday morning, the president wrote on his Truth Social platform, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” referring to Iran.

“I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump added. “However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?

“We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!”

The president previously threatened attacks on Iranian infrastructure on Easter Sunday. Intentional attacks on civilians that are not directly involved in hostilities and civilian objects that are not military targets qualify as war crimes under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

But later in the day and after outreach from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Trump backed off and suspended strikes on Iran for two weeks. The president wrote on Truth Social that he made the decision after speaking with Sharif and Pakistani army chief Asim Munir.

“This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE! The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East,” the president added. “We received a 10 point proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate.

“Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated.”

The Iranian Supreme National Security Council said it accepted the two-week ceasefire and would begin negotiations with the U.S. on Friday in Islamabad, Pakistan, according to The Associated Press (AP).

An Israeli military official, meanwhile, said the country is still attacking Iran, despite the White House saying Israel agreed to the ceasefire, according to the AP.

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