US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has vehemently denied allegations that he illegally ordered troops to 'kill everybody' during a controversial missile strike targeting a suspected narcotics vessel in the Caribbean. The senior official dismissed the reports as "fake news" while defending the Trump administration's maritime campaign as both lawful and essential for national security.
Hegseth's Strong Rejection on Social Media
In a post on X on Saturday, Hegseth launched a fierce counterattack against what he described as a "fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory" campaign by media outlets. "As usual, the fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland," Hegseth stated emphatically.
The Secretary of War clarified that these operations had always been transparently described as "lethal, kinetic strikes" with the explicit objective of disrupting drug trafficking networks. He emphasized that the missions aimed to halt deadly drug flows, destroy narco-boats, and eliminate what he termed "narco-terrorists who are poisoning the American people."
Controversial Washington Post Report Sparks Outrage
The allegations originated from a Washington Post investigation that revealed disturbing details about a September 2 surveillance operation. According to the report, which cited two individuals with direct knowledge of the mission, Hegseth gave a verbal directive to "kill everybody" aboard a suspected narcotics vessel carrying 11 people.
The report further claimed that after an initial missile strike, two survivors were observed clinging to debris from the damaged vessel. A second strike was then allegedly ordered to comply with the controversial directive, ensuring no one survived the operation.
Growing Casualties and Congressional Scrutiny
According to The Guardian, this initial strike marked the beginning of a sustained offensive that has resulted in more than 80 fatalities and targeted at least 22 boats since September. USA Today corroborated these figures, reporting that 83 people have been killed in at least 21 separate attacks.
The Trump administration has maintained that those targeted were drug traffickers affiliated with designated terrorist organizations, specifically mentioning Venezuela's Tren de Aragua. However, both media outlets noted that no detailed public evidence has been provided to support these claims.
Adding to the controversy, some narcotics experts quoted by the Associated Press have questioned the administration's characterization of the victims, suggesting many of those killed were neither "narco-terrorists" nor cartel leaders.
Political Fallout and Legal Questions
The escalating situation has prompted bipartisan concern in Congress. Senate Armed Services Committee leaders Roger Wicker and Jack Reed have announced a formal inquiry into the strikes. Lawmakers from both Republican and Democratic parties, as cited by USA Today, have raised serious questions about whether these operations constitute unlawful or extrajudicial killings.
Hegseth used his statement to draw sharp contrasts between the Trump and Biden administrations' approaches to border security and narcotics enforcement. He accused the previous government of preferring a "kid gloves approach" while asserting that the current operations are "lawful under both U.S. and international law" and fully compliant with the law of armed conflict.
The Secretary of War concluded with a strong show of support for military personnel, stating: "I will ALWAYS have their back" in recognition of the risks taken daily by US Southern Command forces engaged in these controversial operations.
