Investigation into U.S. Military Actions in the Caribbean
Top military officials are initiating an investigation concerning actions taken by the Trump administration in the Caribbean after a report surfaced in the Washington Post. It claims that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth allegedly ordered U.S. military forces to target survivors of a September 2nd attack on a drug vessel.
Senate Armed Services Committee leaders, Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), expressed a commitment to thorough oversight, stating, “We will conduct vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these situations.”
House Armed Services Committee leaders are also conducting a parallel review, seeking a “full accounting” of the operation.
Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and ranking Democrat Adam Smith (D-Wash.) emphasized, “We take seriously any follow-up reports of vessels allegedly transporting narcotics in the Southcom area,” while noting that their approach would be bipartisan.
The Washington Post report, released on Friday, referenced an anonymous source claiming that Hegseth issued “verbal instructions” to “kill everyone” onboard a suspected drug-carrying ship. Allegedly, after two survivors were found following the initial explosion, the Joint Special Operations Command “ordered a second attack to comply with Hegseth’s instructions.”
It’s worth noting that Fox News has not independently verified this report.
Some lawmakers have raised concerns regarding the legality of these instructions, insisting they had not received briefings related to such orders. Representative Don Bacon (R-Neb.), a former Air Force brigadier general, expressed skepticism about the validity of the alleged command.
“Secretary of Defense Hegseth is in denial. We need to find out the truth,” Bacon mentioned, adding that it would be illogical for Hegseth to suggest something as drastic as “kill the survivors,” as this would breach wartime laws.
Representative Mike Turner (R-Ohio), former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, echoed this sentiment over the weekend, highlighting that if such an event occurred, it would be considered very serious and illegal.
According to the report, two survivors were reportedly holding onto wreckage post-attack until subsequent munitions were deployed. The Pentagon has stated that 11 suspected drug traffickers were killed during the incident.
Hegseth has firmly denied the allegations, dismissing them as “fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory.” He further stated, “Our current operations in the Caribbean are legal under both U.S. and international law,” asserting that all actions have received appropriate legal approval.
The Pentagon chose not to elaborate further on media inquiries concerning the issue.
Turner indicated that earlier congressional briefings had not included information about the reported additional strikes, and expressed serious concerns about the legal justification for attacks on alleged drug vessels.
Since September, the U.S. military has reportedly carried out over 20 airstrikes targeting maritime drug traffickers, resulting in around 80 fatalities linked to designated Venezuelan and Colombian criminal groups. Officials maintain that these operations are essential to counter what they describe as a “narco-terrorist” organization associated with President Nicolas Maduro’s regime.
As pressure mounts on Maduro, President Trump has warned commercial airlines to consider avoiding Venezuelan airspace, with analysts speculating that further military action could occur if pro-Maduro forces are perceived as a growing threat.
