I don’t find Geneal Hyten’s remarks to out of line; they strike me as temperate, measured and reasoned.
The problem with your line of thinking is the good General had to have known what the reporter was fishing for. And he served it on a plate for him. What he said is grossly insubordinate and damaging to US national security.
It wasn’t a reporter interviewing him. He was being interviewed in a security conference session.