Rep. Thanedar Accuses Army Secretary of War Crimes
Democratic Representative Shri Thanedar from Michigan made an appearance on FOX LiveNow Thursday, where he accused Army Secretary Pete Hegseth of committing war crimes and hinted at possible articles of impeachment.
The U.S. military has conducted several attacks on vessels linked to drug trafficking since September 2, when they sank a boat carrying members of the Venezuelan gang Torren de Aragua (TdA). President Trump classified this organization as a foreign terrorist group when he took office on January 20, 2025. Earlier in May, Trump told LiveNow through host Josh Breslow that Hegseth, following criticism, was “incompetent” and should be dismissed.
Thanedar expressed strong opinions during the segment, stating, “This secretary of defense is incompetent. He is incompetent to do his job. He is putting our military at risk because of his total disregard for war planning, secrets, and how to release classified information.” He further added, “We need to understand what laws of war he was following when he attacked the survivors of the destroyed boat.”
Following these allegations, Hegseth faced intensified scrutiny after reports surfaced regarding a second attack on the boat that sank on September 2, which resulted in the deaths of the two survivors from the initial incident. ABC News Chief World Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz noted that the survivors appeared to be attempting to recover drugs from the wreckage.
Thanedar argued that action is necessary, emphasizing that both parties should collaborate to address the alleged law violations. “As you know, a war crime has been committed, and Secretary Hegseth is refusing to appear in court. He hasn’t shown up for the investigator’s inquiry, didn’t provide his cell phone, and stayed away in person. What is he hiding?” he questioned.
He went on to assert, “This chief is incompetent, and this is the second major flaw. He must either resign or Congress must impeach him. President Trump cannot continue safeguarding this incompetent Secretary of State, risking the lives of countless servicemen and women.”
Another Michigan Democrat, Senator Elissa Slotkin, joined five other Democrats at a rally asserting that the attacks on drug ships are illegal and constitute a war crime. Raddatz urged military and intelligence agencies to disregard Trump’s “unlawful” commands, but when asked about specific illegal orders Trump had issued, she couldn’t identify any.
