Defense Secretary Hegseth Denies Seeing Survivors Amid War Crimes Probe Over Deadly Caribbean Strike
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denies seeing survivors before a deadly second strike on a Caribbean drug boat, prompting a war crimes investigation into the controversial military operation.
Saying Something Is ‘Legal’ Doesn’t Make It So
The Dispatch
Who is the admiral who called second strike on alleged drug boat?
Washington Examiner
No one left alive
Reason
Hegseth to be in spotlight as Trump holds Cabinet meeting
Washington Examiner
Trump and Hegseth Defending America From Drug Traffickers –
The American Spectator
Overview
- A second strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean Sea killed survivors from an initial attack, contributing to 11 confirmed fatalities across four strikes.
- This deadly follow-up strike has sparked widespread controversy and calls for a war crimes investigation, as firing on shipwrecked survivors is illegal under international law.
- US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denies seeing survivors before the second strike, clarifying he only watched the first strike live, despite initial claims of watching the entire operation.
- Hegseth supported Admiral Frank Bradley's decision to carry out the second strike, asserting the military's full authority to conduct such operations in the controversial campaign.
- Lawmakers are actively investigating the legality of the strike, while the Trump administration's broader campaign against alleged drug traffickers faces scrutiny.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources appear neutral, focusing on reporting the unfolding controversy surrounding the boat strikes. They present the administration's defense, including Hegseth's "fog of war" explanation and Trump's support, alongside significant bipartisan criticism from lawmakers and details from investigative reports, allowing readers to understand various perspectives without editorial bias.
"The whole Caribbean strategy is constitutionally and legally dubious."
The Dispatch"It sets a dangerous template for a United States that believes it can strike anywhere on the planet without rules, limits, or consequences."
NPR"The statement came several days after a Washington Post story said Hegseth had reportedly ordered Adm. Frank M. “Mitch” Bradley and the SEAL Team 6 he oversaw to kill everybody aboard the vessel and leave no survivors."
Military Times"The 2 September strike has prompted concerns that US forces may have violated laws governing armed conflict."
BBC News"The Pentagon said at the time of the strike that the boat was carrying a total of 11 individuals, and since then, the U.S. has conducted more than 20 strikes on purported drug vessels it says are carrying drugs from Venezuela, killing more than 80 people."
NBC News"Hegseth cited the “fog of war” in defending a follow-up strike on an alleged drug-carrying boat in the Caribbean Sea earlier this year."
Associated Press"The Trump administration is under increased scrutiny and facing criticism from lawmakers over its assault on alleged drug boats following the revelation that the U.S. military carried out a second, lethal strike on a vessel in the Caribbean, killing two survivors as they clung to the wreckage."
USA TODAY"Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is finding his way into trouble due to his handling of the legally suspect Caribbean boat strikes, which have killed over 80 people so far."
Reason"The Trump administration has faced scrutiny over its strikes against what it alleges are drug boats traveling from Venezuela to the U.S."
NPR"I support the United States defending itself vigorously, as most Republicans do."
USA TODAY"The White House said a Navy admiral acted “within his authority and the law” when he ordered a second, follow-up strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea in a September U.S. military operation that has come under bipartisan scrutiny."
ABC News"The confirmation followed a Washington Post report that the first boat was struck a second time, killing a pair of survivors — prompting calls for investigations and concerns in Congress that the follow-up strike may have constituted a war crime."
CBS News"A second strike killing survivors would have been illegal under any circumstance, armed conflict or not, Schmitt said."
Associated Press"In recent weeks, the US has expanded its military presence in the Caribbean and carried out a series of lethal strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in international waters off Venezuela and Colombia, as part of what it calls an anti-narcotics operation."
BBC News"The strikes in the Caribbean are part of an escalating pressure campaign the Trump administration is waging against Venezuela."
NBC News"The Trump administration is facing increased scrutiny from lawmakers over its assault on suspected drug boats following a report that the U.S. military carried out a second, lethal strike on a vessel in the Caribbean, killing two survivors as they clung to the wreckage."
USA TODAY"deliberately killing survivors would be contrary to the law of war."
Reason"The lawmakers said they did not know whether last week’s Post report was true, and some Republicans were skeptical."
Associated PressArticles (65)
Center (18)
FAQ
Pete Hegseth is reported to have personally ordered U.S. forces to "kill everybody" aboard a suspect boat in the Caribbean, including survivors clinging to wreckage following an initial strike, leading to a second fatal missile strike.
The follow-up strike, which targeted survivors from the initial attack on the boat, is considered highly controversial and may constitute a war crime since firing on shipwrecked survivors is illegal under international law.
Lawmakers from both parties have initiated bipartisan investigations in the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to determine the facts related to the strikes and assess the legality and potential war crimes implications.
Hegseth denies ordering the killing of survivors, stating he only observed the first strike live, not the second, and claims all operations are lawful under U.S. and international law with approval from military and civilian lawyers.
The strikes are part of a broader Trump administration campaign against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific waters, involving at least 22 vessel strikes and over 80 deaths in 2025.
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