Who is Riley Podelski? U.S. journalist goes viral for claiming the U.S. has used “less than 10%” of its military force against Iran

An American media figure has gone viral after making bold claims about U.S. military might during a briefing on tensions with Iran.American journalist and conservative media figure Riley Podleski said this week that the United States was using “less than 10 percent” of its combat power in operations against Iran. Her remarks appeared in an official video update released by the War Department.“The new regime in Iran understands that it is better to reach an agreement than to await their fate,” Podleski, an assistant Pentagon press secretary, said in a video to the Army’s weekly Sitrep. “Our warriors achieved overwhelming victory on the battlefield and made history.” Her comments came two weeks after the United States and Iran announced a ceasefire.At a Pentagon briefing earlier last week, War Secretary Pete Hegseth also emphasized the scale of U.S. military capabilities, claiming the military was using only a fraction of its strength to dismantle one of the largest militaries in the world. “The world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism has proven to be completely incapable of defending itself, its people or its territory. We unleashed only a fraction of our power and Iran suffered a devastating military defeat,” he said.Podleski went a step further, praising U.S. President Donald Trump for taking unprecedented action. “We owned their skies, wiped out their navy, destroyed their missile program and rendered their defense industrial base useless,” she said, adding that Trump “made history and did things that no other president had had the courage to do before.”She also detailed a dramatic Easter weekend rescue mission. On April 3, an F-15 Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran, according to Podleski. Within 48 hours, the US military launched two rescue missions involving more than 170 aircraft. Describing the moment a crew member sent out a distress signal, she said his first message was: “God is good.” She added, “Shot down on Good Friday. Hidden in cave all Saturday, rescued on Sunday. Flying out of Iran at sunrise on Easter Sunday.”“In addition to his government-facing role, Podelski is known for his work with conservative digital media. She has built a following through on-the-ground reporting and social media content, often covering protests, immigration debates and campus politics. Her coverage often included right-leaning views.