Scarborough Compares Iran Conflict to Vietnam War

MSNBC host Joe Scarborough draws parallels between Pentagon's handling of Iran and Vietnam, while warning against blaming the press.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 2:38am

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On MSNBC's Morning Joe, host Joe Scarborough compared the Pentagon's handling of the current conflict with Iran to the Vietnam War, particularly when it came to the treatment of the press. Scarborough warned that the administration's criticism of media coverage echoed the past, when the military was accused of lying to the American people about the progress of the Vietnam War. He cautioned that it took decades for the US military to recover from the damage caused by those falsehoods.

Why it matters

Scarborough's comments highlight the delicate balance between national security, public trust, and the role of the free press during times of conflict. His comparison to Vietnam underscores the potential long-term consequences of perceived dishonesty or lack of transparency from government officials.

The details

Scarborough made the comparison while speaking with Washington Post columnist David Ignatius. He recalled how it took the Pentagon "two decades to recover" from the "constant lies" told by figures like General Westmoreland during the Vietnam War. Scarborough warned that the "beating up of the press" during the current Iran conflict "almost takes you back to the middle of Vietnam where things aren't going well" and the media is accused of being unpatriotic.

  • Scarborough made the comments at the start of MSNBC's Morning Joe program on March 16, 2026.

The players

Joe Scarborough

Co-host of MSNBC's Morning Joe program.

David Ignatius

Columnist for The Washington Post.

Pete Hegseth

Conservative commentator who Scarborough criticized for not remembering the Vietnam War.

Ari Fleischer

Former White House Press Secretary whom Scarborough accused of "ignorance" for defending the military against critical press coverage.

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What they’re saying

“You and I, are old enough to remember – I would say wise enough to remember how long it took the Pentagon to recover from the lies, the constant lies that General Westmoreland and the spokespeople in the Pentagon gave to the American people throughout the Vietnam War. It took two decades to recover from that.”

— Joe Scarborough, MSNBC Host

“So, blaming the press is – it happens in every war. It's happening now. Our job, more clearly than ever before, is to be honest and to warn of dangers we see ahead and question assumptions that policymakers are making.”

— David Ignatius, Washington Post Columnist

The takeaway

Scarborough's comparison of the Iran conflict to the Vietnam War era highlights the importance of maintaining public trust in government and the military, as well as the vital role of a free and independent press during times of war. His warning about the long-term damage caused by perceived dishonesty underscores the need for transparency and accountability from officials.