Four words from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about Donald Trump’s Iran war drew disbelief and mockery from critics on Tuesday.

Speaking during the swearing-in of Markwayne Mullin as the new Department of Homeland Security secretary, Hegseth praised the U.S.-Israeli air campaign against Iran — now in its fourth week — as “one for the history books, truly,” boasting about Trump allowing troops to “destroy the enemy as viciously as possible from moment one.”

“That’s why we see ourselves as part of this negotiation as well,” he continued.

Then he added: “We negotiate with bombs.”

Pete Hegseth: "We negotiate with bombs" pic.twitter.com/UMAXanuUqQ

The comment came as the Trump administration is reportedly pushing a 15-point ceasefire plan to Iran via intermediaries, even while preparing to send more troops to the region.

Hegseth doubled down:

You have a choice as we loiter over the top of Tehran ... about your future. The president has made it clear that you will not have a nuclear weapon. The war department agrees, our job is to ensure that. And so we’re keeping our hand on that throttle as long and as hard as is necessary to ensure the interests of the United States of America are achieved on that battlefield.

At least 13 U.S. service members have died in the conflict so far amid fears of the broader economic fallout, particularly due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the channel off the coast of Iran through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes.

Hegseth’s “we negotiate with bombs” line was swiftly condemned online.

“Ahh, the musings of the human pet trick at the Pentagon while Trump perfects the art of not giving a damn,” wrote Michael Steele, a former chair of the Republican National Committee.

Others agreed:

Ahh, the musings of the human pet trick at the Pentagon while Trump perfects the art of not giving a damn. https://t.co/NTxGbs6xC3

If that’s the case, why did the President ease $14 billion of sanctions on Iranian oil? https://t.co/I9nQRnEFiV

Then the bombs negotiated back and then four weeks later they were left with no choice but escalation. https://t.co/lpkJvZyyr2

That didn’t work so well for us in neighboring Afghanistan… https://t.co/mxmUnizeAb

This is getting so tiresome. This “bro guy tough man” crap isn’t landing with anyone. Nobody is SCARED of Pete Hegseth. And evidently the bombs aren’t working because Trump has to negotiate with Iran. Like he is doing. https://t.co/1maxY5M6te

What an arrogant, ignorant idiot. I apologize, just no diplomatic way to phrase this. https://t.co/KkRGwjlMJZ

What a stupid statement. https://t.co/P7wHt7HKZX

Elect a narcissistic psychopath to the Presidency, get a sociopath for the Secretary of “War.” https://t.co/iSTc0UT431

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