This is insane.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth is firing back after a new media report attempted to link him to an alleged “no survivors” order during a U.S. military strike on a drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean—a claim he says is nothing more than political theater designed to smear the Trump administration.
According to the Washington Post, a Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) officer ordered a second airstrike on a speedboat carrying 11 Tren de Aragua narcoterrorists on September 2. The outlet claims the follow-up strike was launched because of a supposed verbal order from Hegseth to “kill everybody.”
Hegseth forcefully rejected the accusation.
“Fake news is once again pushing fabricated, inflammatory stories to discredit the courageous warriors protecting our homeland,” he wrote on X.
Hegseth reiterated that the mission has always been crystal clear: the United States is engaged in “lethal, kinetic strikes” aimed directly at the violent narcoterrorist networks pumping deadly drugs—fentanyl, cocaine, and more—into American communities.
“The goal is simple,” he stated. “Destroy narco-boats. Eliminate narco-terrorists. Stop the flow of lethal drugs killing our citizens. Every trafficker we take out is tied to a designated terrorist organization.”
Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson supported Hegseth, outlining the legal basis for the strikes:
- Completely lawful
- Targeting a designated terrorist organization
- In defense of vital U.S. national interests
Trump Shared Footage Before Media Outrage Began
President Donald Trump already released video of the September 2 strike—the first of more than a dozen successful operations across the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific. The footage shows a precision missile obliterating the narco-boat on impact.
The Washington Post now claims a total of four missiles were launched, including additional strikes to kill surviving crew members and fully sink the vessel. JSOC reportedly told the White House that destroying all wreckage was necessary to prevent maritime hazards.
One anonymous source told the Post the public “would be horrified” by the second strike—another classic media setup to spark outrage and sideline context.
A Clear Contrast: Trump’s Strength vs. Biden’s Weakness
Hegseth drew a sharp line between President Trump’s decisive actions and the failed policies of President Biden.
“The Biden administration used kid gloves—opening our border, empowering cartels, and flooding our towns with crime, drugs, and unvetted migrants,” Hegseth wrote.
“The Trump administration secured the border and took the fight directly to narco-terrorists. Biden coddled them. We eliminate them.”
He emphasized that Operation Southern Spear—the broader campaign targeting narcoterrorist cells—is fully compliant with U.S. and international law and approved by top military and civilian legal experts.
Democrats Rush Toward Investigations, Threats, and Accusations
Democratic lawmakers were quick to seize the narrative, threatening investigations and prosecutions before any full evidence is released.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) called the wreckage-hazard explanation “absurd” and said killing survivors would be “blatantly illegal,” declaring that Americans “will be prosecuted.”
Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA) insisted Hegseth would be “held accountable,” demanding Congress receive unredacted footage and audio recordings.
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) escalated further, claiming the operation may constitute a “war crime” and stressing there is “no statute of limitations.”
Political Targeting or National Security?
Conservatives argue the real scandal is not the strike against cartel-linked narcoterrorists—it’s the years of open-border failures that allowed these networks to expand. With the Trump administration now reestablishing security operations, critics on the Left are scrambling to find a new angle to attack.
One thing is clear: the American people are seeing two very different visions for national security—one rooted in strength and one rooted in political posturing.
