Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced backlash this weekend for his latest chest-thumping rhetoric about the Iran war, which was condemned on social media as “sickening” and “grotesque.”

Hegseth was asked on Sunday’s broadcast of “60 Minutes” whether he believed U.S. troops face increased danger following a report that Russia helped Iran with intelligence that could potentially be used to target them.

“No one’s putting us in danger,” Hegseth answered. “We’re putting the other guys in danger. That’s our job. So we’re not concerned about that.”

He then said: “The only ones that need to be worried right now are Iranians that think they’re going to live.”

The remark was slammed on social media, where critics accused the self-described war secretary of yet again using inflammatory rhetoric about the conflict.

MS NOW’s Chris Hayes argued that “purely in propaganda terms it seems to me, admittedly just an amateur observer when it comes to war fighting, that it may be useful to send the message to the 91+ million Iranian civilians that we are not trying to kill them.”

Hegseth asked about Russia helping Iran to target Americans:"We're not concerned about that... The only ones that need to be worried right now are Iranians that think they're going to live."A grotesquely indiscriminate threat against the entire Iranian population. pic.twitter.com/cPiSjrQsmz

A few days ago if was all about liberating and empowering Iranians. This turned dark fast ... https://t.co/xcTjOvvJy3

Take that, Iranian kids. He’s coming after your schools next. https://t.co/EYkKxLg0rV

What a heartless thing to say. Does this man have any moral compass whatsoever? https://t.co/431yXsGNOY

Worth watching the whole clip, but purely in propaganda terms it seems to me, admittedly just an amateur observer when it comes to war fighting, that it may be useful to send the message to the 91+ million Iranian civilians that we are not trying to kill them.

He is looking forward to leveling Iran the way Israel leveled Gaza. It’s sickening, and a betrayal of American values.

When a religious extremist runs the Pentagon https://t.co/YiBZ3GTMjk

This is some really dark shit. https://t.co/s9vU9C2IUG

“Iranians who think they’re going to live.”That’s not a military objective. That’s genocidal language - a direct threat to kill indiscriminately. Secretary Hegseth is unhinged and needs to be stopped. https://t.co/BRIam6sM0q

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