A controversial US military operation targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels has ignited a political firestorm in Washington, with lawmakers probing potential war crimes and the family of a victim filing the first formal legal complaint.
Pentagon Scapegoats Admiral as Lawmakers Investigate 'Double-Tap'
The crisis centres on a series of strikes authorised by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. A particularly deadly incident on 2 September 2025 involved a 'double-tap' attack, where a follow-up strike hit survivors of an initial engagement. This tactic has drawn sharp bipartisan criticism, with congressional investigations launched to determine if it constitutes a war crime.
In a move described by officials as 'selling out', the Pentagon and Trump administration have shifted blame onto Admiral Frank M. Bradley, who oversaw the operation. Despite this, officials insist the mission was lawful. Admiral Bradley is scheduled to provide a classified briefing to oversight lawmakers on Thursday, 4 December.
During a lengthy cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 2 December, Hegseth remained defiant, stating, "We've only just begun striking narco boats and putting narco terrorists at the bottom of the ocean." He defended Admiral Bradley, asserting that President Trump "always has our back".
Trump Threatens Military Action Against Drug-Producing Nations
President Donald Trump used the same cabinet meeting to dramatically escalate his rhetoric on the so-called 'war on drugs'. He declared that any country he believes is producing drugs destined for illegal import into the US is now vulnerable to military attack.
Echoing previous threats directed at Mexico, Trump stated he saw such nations as 'fair game'. He also indicated that military strikes on land targets inside Venezuela would "start very soon", despite a plea from Pope Leo to seek dialogue instead of attempting to overthrow the Venezuelan president by force.
First Formal Complaint Lodged by Victim's Family
In a significant development on Tuesday, the family of Alejandro Carranza Medina, a Colombian citizen killed in a US airstrike on 15 September, lodged a formal petition. The complaint was filed with the Washington DC-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
This legal action marks the first official complaint against the Trump administration regarding the strikes on suspected drug boats. The petition alleges that Carranza Medina was illegally killed. The White House justifies these attacks under a novel and contentious interpretation of international law.
The fallout from the strikes continues to widen:
- The administration is reversing the reinstatement of FEMA workers who wrote an open letter of dissent.
- Trump threatened to suspend SNAP food assistance funds to Democratic-led states over data disputes.
- In a separate, xenophobic rant, Trump labelled Somali immigrants "garbage", targeting Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
As Admiral Bradley prepares to brief Congress, the administration faces mounting legal, diplomatic, and ethical scrutiny over a policy that shows no sign of abating.
