President Donald Trump defended the war against Iran on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in an address at a Veterans Day commemoration at Arlington National Cemetery. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth attended the event, where an Army sentinel reprimanded him for a lack of decorum, according to The Hindu.
Trump said the conflict was started by Tehran, which “has been waging war on America since 1979,” according to The Hindu. He said U.S. forces were acting to halt Iran’s capacity to build a nuclear weapon. These claims are Trump’s and have not been independently verified in the reports.
Trump said the war would end “soon” and that the world would be “a much safer and better place” afterward, according to The Hindu. He also praised Hegseth, saying the defence secretary had “done a fantastic job,” according to the Straits Times.
The war began on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran, according to the Straits Times. Citing the latest Pentagon figures, the outlet reported that the conflict has so far cost the lives of 23 U.S. service members. The reports do not give a date for that count. Several hundred service members were wounded, but no exact figure beyond that is given.
The reprimand came after some members of Hegseth’s party laughed following a photo in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, according to The Hindu. The sentinel reprimanded Hegseth, his wife and several aides, calling out, “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.” This account comes from The Hindu alone.
On November 10, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives blocked an effort to impeach Hegseth, according to the Straits Times. The effort was launched by an outgoing Republican lawmaker and alleged that Hegseth had waged war without congressional authorisation. These remain allegations, and the Straits Times reported no response from Hegseth or his office.
The reports also do not include any response from Hegseth or the Pentagon to the sentinel’s reprimand.
Separately, the family of John F. Kennedy asked a court on November 10 to block Trump’s planned 76-metre triumphal arch near the cemetery. The family argues the structure would block views and cast shadows over gravesites. The project also faces lawsuits from veterans, the city of Washington and the state of Virginia. No court ruling on the Kennedy family’s request has been reported.
Looking ahead, Trump said the conflict “will be soon” over and that the triumphal arch would be dedicated “soon.” A court is weighing the Kennedy family’s request to block construction, and the arch faces other lawsuits.
The key details of this story rely on two outlets, The Hindu and the Straits Times. The South China Morning Post was available only as a headline and short excerpt, which added no new facts. Gaps remain on the Pentagon’s date for the casualty count, the exact number of wounded, Hegseth’s response to the reprimand and impeachment effort, and any court ruling on the arch.
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This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.