Washington DC - Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently lashed out at a reporter for asking about the price tag on the US military's recent invasion of Venezuela.

On Wednesday, Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave a press conference on Capitol Hill, where CNN reporter Manu Raju asked Rubio how much the military action would cost American taxpayers.

At first, Rubio bizarrely claimed the operation is "not going to cost us any money," but when pressed further, he attempted to backtrack, stating he doesn't "have the numbers."

With Rubio struggling, an apparently frustrated Hegseth decided to swoop in and press Raju back.

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"The question is never asked how much does it cost when they're in the Mediterranean or the Red Sea or the Indian Ocean or the Pacific. But now that they're in our hemisphere, on a counter cartel mission or ensuring that an indicted individual comes to justice, now you're asking the question of cost," Hegseth argued.

"It's a disingenuous question to begin with. You're trying to find any angle possible to undermine the success of one of the most historic military missions the world has ever seen!" he exclaimed.

Hegseth's reaction comes as President Donald Trump's administration faces significant backlash over the operation, which included the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as it was ordered without required congressional approval.

The president had seemingly been laying the groundwork for the invasion since the beginning of his second term, as he repeatedly pushed the narrative that Venezuela was trafficking deadly drugs to the US, and Maduro was head of a powerful drug cartel.

But after bringing Maduro to the US to face federal charges, the DOJ decided to drop the cartel leadership claim from their indictment, instead arguing that he has participated in, perpetuated, protected, and benefited from drug trafficking.

In recent days, Trump has changed the narrative, admitting the invasion was mainly driven by his ambition to take control of the country's oil.