Hegseth makes surprise trip to Middle East

What BBN said about it

1. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth has made a surprise trip to the Middle East to visit U.S. troops.

2. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorHe announced it on social media late Monday, saying he was already on the ground, though he did not say where.

3. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSo nobody knows where he is, but everybody saw the post. That's not a surprise, that's a press release with a boarding pass.

4. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorHe wrote, quote, as always, it was an honor to visit our warfighters in Central Command today.

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   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorHe also said the bases he visited will not be named for operational security.

6. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorAnd the troops had no idea he was coming?

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   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorNone of them knew, he says. And he added, quote, sometimes we just wandered.

8. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorWandered. I'd call that a very flexible itinerary, and I'd put it on my vision board.

9. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorAxios and Reuters report, citing an anonymous source, that he also met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

10. 

    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorIsraeli media say Netanyahu flew to an air force base in southern Israel for it.

11. 

    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorIsrael votes on October twenty-seventh, eight days after the visit, and polls show Netanyahu's coalition short of the sixty-one seats it needs.

12. 

    Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSecret location, public post, surprised troops. That's the most transparent secret I've ever seen.