Pentagon Veterans Question Media Reports on Hegseth’s Caribbean Strike Orders
WASHINGTON — Media reports have presented conflicting narratives regarding orders given by Pete Hegseth related to U.S. strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean earlier this year, according to officials familiar with military operations.
In early September, U.S. forces conducted strikes against a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Caribbean. Some media outlets, including The Washington Post, reported that Hegseth, identified as Secretary of War, allegedly gave a verbal order to “kill-everybody” aboard the vessel and authorized a follow-up strike targeting survivors. These reports have raised questions about potential violations of the law of armed conflict, specifically the prohibition against targeting individuals who are hors de combat, or out of the fight.
However, other media accounts, such as those from The New York Times, have contradicted these claims. According to five officials cited in their reporting, Hegseth did not order the killing of survivors, nor did he issue instructions regarding follow-on strikes after the initial attack. Instead, the follow-up strike was reportedly authorized by the operational commander as part of a lawful maritime interdiction mission.
Retired Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis, who has conducted formal investigations for senior Pentagon leaders and served extensively on the Army staff, expressed skepticism about the media’s portrayal of the events. He noted that the story, as presented in some press outlets, does not pass a basic plausibility test and emphasized the lack of definitive evidence supporting allegations of war crimes.
The conflicting reports highlight a significant discrepancy: one narrative suggests a deliberate war crime directed from Washington, while the other describes a lawful military operation with decisions made at the operational level. As of now, officials say there is insufficient evidence to substantiate claims of unlawful orders.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has publicly defended the strikes, supporting the decisions made by special operations commanders involved in the missions. The situation remains under scrutiny amid ongoing political debate and media coverage.
The Pentagon and other authorities have not released conclusive findings regarding the incident, and the matter continues to be a subject of discussion within military and political circles.
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