The White House has moved to distance Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth from a controversial military strike in the Caribbean, stating the order was given by a senior naval commander.
Controversy Over Second Strike Order
According to a report from The Washington Post, a second round of kinetic strikes was ordered on an alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking boat on 2 September. The report alleged this secondary action was taken to eliminate two survivors from an initial strike and to comply with an order from Secretary Hegseth that "everyone be killed".
Facing immediate accusations that such an order could constitute a war crime, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt publicly addressed the claims. She stated that while Hegseth authorised the mission, he did not issue a command to "kill everybody". Secretary Hegseth himself has dismissed the reporting as "fake news".
White House and Pentagon Defend Actions
In a detailed defence, Press Secretary Leavitt explained the chain of command. "Secretary Hegseth authorised Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes," she said. "Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated."
When pressed by journalists on whether the strike amounted to a war crime, Leavitt reiterated the operation's legality. She emphasised it was "conducted in international waters and in accordance with the law of armed conflict".
The officer at the centre of the operation is US Navy Vice Admiral Frank 'Mitch' Bradley, who was commander of the Joint Special Operations Command at the time. He is scheduled to provide a classified briefing to lawmakers on Thursday.
Political Fallout and Ongoing Probes
Defence Secretary Hegseth has publicly thrown his support behind Admiral Bradley. In a social media post, he framed the decision as the commander's alone. "Let's make one thing crystal clear: Admiral Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support," Hegseth wrote. "I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made."
The incident has triggered formal investigations in Congress. Both the Senate and House armed services committee chairs have announced probes into the allegations. Key details, such as the precise identity or number of people on board the vessel, remain undisclosed.
This event is part of a broader campaign. Since September, US airstrikes have targeted alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in at least 83 reported deaths. The Trump administration has yet to provide concrete public evidence justifying these deadly operations, leading numerous legal experts to question their legality under international law.
