On Saturday at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke out in support of the Trump administration’s military actions targeting alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean. He emphasized that these actions exemplify ‘the strength of American resolve.’
Hegseth pointedly stated, ‘The world is currently witnessing America’s commitment to stopping the inflow of dangerous drugs into our nation.’ He made it clear: ‘If you’re affiliated with a designated terrorist group and you attempt to bring drugs into our country via boat, we will locate and sink you.’
His comments arrived amidst increasing scrutiny of the administration’s counter-drug strategies, particularly following a subsequent attack that resulted in casualties among suspected drug traffickers.
Significantly, the Hartford Convention Treaties classify such actions against shipwrecked individuals—described as those ‘requiring assistance and care’ and who must not engage in hostility—as potential war crimes, according to the Pentagon’s law of war manual.
The follow-up strike in September has faced bipartisan criticism, prompting the Senate Armed Services Committee to announce plans for oversight of the matter.
Hegseth defended the actions of Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley, the commander of US Special Operations Command, who authorized the follow-up attack that claimed survivors’ lives. ‘Based on what I understood at the time and what I know now, I stand by his decision,’ he said. ‘I would have taken the same action.’
This issue was central to briefings Bradley conducted for Congress this week, where it was revealed that Hegseth specified that the strikes should indeed be lethal, as reported by CNN. However, he claimed he was unaware of the survivors until after the strike took place, according to sources familiar with the briefings.
Hegseth reb allegations that he ordered the elimination of all individuals on board, labeling such claims as ‘totally absurd.’ ‘We don’t simply walk in and say, ‘Kill them.’ That’s just ridiculous,’ he asserted, suggesting the characterization was crafted to distort his true position and decision-making process.
At the same forum, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine stated it was their shared decision to keep Congress informed in order to maintain public trust. ‘We must earn it daily from the American people,’ he emphasized.
In related congressional briefings, lawmakers viewed military action footage which left them divided along party lines. One prominent Democratic lawmaker described the event as ‘one of the most distressing episodes’ of their legislative experience.
When asked about the potential release of the complete video footage, Hegseth replied cautiously, ‘We are assessing the situation, and we will see.’ His response contrasted with President Donald Trump’s earlier comments indicating that the administration would ‘certainly’ release it.
In the broader context, the counter-drug operations have resulted in at least 87 fatalities and the destruction of 23 boats. While the Trump administration defends its actions as necessary for combatting drug trafficking, critics and legal experts doubt the legality of the operations.
This piece has been updated with additional insights.
Contributors to this report include CNN journalists Natasha Bertrand, Haley Britzky, and Katie Bo Lillis.
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