War Secretary Pete Hegseth sparked loud reactions during his May 23, 2026 commencement speech at West Point after joking with cadets about “sinking the Iranian navy” while referencing recent U.S. military operations against Iranian naval assets. The remark blended the long-running rivalry between the Army and Navy with a pointed reminder of America’s growing military pressure campaign against Iran following Operation Epic Fury and a series of aggressive confrontations across international waters earlier this year.