Pete Hegseth Defends Trump-Era Lethal Strikes on Alleged Caribbean Drug Traffickers

WASHINGTON — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth defended the Trump administration’s lethal military strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean, asserting that the operations targeted narco-terrorists and complied with U.S. and international law. Hegseth’s remarks came amid reports that the U.S. military conducted a second strike on a suspected drug vessel on Sept. 2 after the initial attack left two survivors.

According to The Washington Post, the commander overseeing the operation stated in a secure conference call that the survivors were considered legitimate targets because they could potentially contact other traffickers for assistance. The second strike was reportedly ordered to comply with a directive from Hegseth that all targets must be killed.

Hegseth pushed back against media reports describing the strikes as controversial, calling them “fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory” and accusing the press of attempting to discredit U.S. military personnel involved in the operations. He emphasized that the strikes were intended to stop the flow of lethal drugs, destroy narco-trafficking vessels, and eliminate narco-terrorists affiliated with designated terrorist organizations.

In a post on X, Hegseth contrasted the Trump administration’s approach with that of the Biden administration, stating, “The Biden administration preferred the kid gloves approach, allowing millions of people — including dangerous cartels and unvetted Afghans — to flood our communities with drugs and violence. The Trump administration has sealed the border and gone on offense against narco-terrorists. Biden coddled terrorists, we kill them.”

Hegseth also affirmed that the current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions approved by military and civilian legal authorities throughout the chain of command. He added on his personal X account, “We have only just begun to kill narco-terrorists.”

President Donald Trump shared video footage on Truth Social showing the suspected drug vessel shortly before it was destroyed during the September strike. Fox News Digital has reached out to a Biden administration spokesperson for comment.