Pete Hegseth is facing criticism after the White House disclosed the identity of the military officer who authorized a controversial second strike on a Venezuelan drug boat, labeling him an ‘American hero’ who has been unfairly targeted.
The Secretary of Defense is under heavy scrutiny and allegations of war crimes following missile strikes in the Caribbean on September 2. These actions have ignited intense debate and backlash.
The first strike on the drug-smuggling vessel reportedly resulted in the deaths of all but two cartel members. The subsequent strike allegedly killed the remaining individuals as they clung to debris in the water.
On Monday, the White House announced that Admiral Frank Mitchell Bradley was responsible for ordering the second strike, a revelation that has caused uproar within the Pentagon. Insiders argue that Bradley was simply following orders from higher authorities.
“This is ‘protect Pete nonsense,'” one military insider remarked to The Washington Post.
Another source accused the White House of “throwing service members under the bus” with its strategically worded statement identifying Bradley.
The critic said it had ‘left it up to interpretation’ who was ultimately responsible for the strike in question, sparking a revolt within the Pentagon.
Hegseth mounted an extraordinary defense of Bradley, commander of the United States Special Operations Command, whilst simultaneously appearing to imply that the Naval officer was to blame.
The Secretary of Defense has faced furious backlash and accusations of committing war crimes over strikes which were carried out in the Caribbean on September 2
Hegseth allegedly ordered the second strike with a demand that everyone on board be killed, but he has now shifted responsibility to Admiral Frank Mitch Bradley (pictured) in an X post insisting the official has his ‘100 percent support’
‘Let’s make one thing crystal clear: Admiral Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support,’ Hegseth wrote on X.
‘I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made — on the September 2 mission and all others since.
‘America is fortunate to have such men protecting us. When this @DeptOfWar says we have the back of our warriors — we mean it.’
Hegseth’s comments led to further fears he was looking to shift responsibility to Bradley for the second strike, which has sparked concerns from lawmakers about whether it breached international law.
International humanitarian law prohibits attacks on incapacitated combatants.
The Defense Department’s Law of War Manual states that shipwrecked persons cannot be knowingly attacked and must receive medical care unless they act with hostility or attempt escape.
At the time of the strikes, Bradley was head of Joint Special Operations Command, and now serves as commander of the United States Special Operations Command.
The initial missile strike hit the alleged drug smuggling boat and set it on fire. Commanders watched from a live drone feed as the boat went up in flames, but reportedly noticed two survivors clinging onto the debris in the water.
The initial strike on the drug-smuggling vessel allegedly killed all but two members of the suspected cartel on board, but a second strike reportedly eliminated the duo as they clung to debris in the water
Commanders watched from a live drone feed as the boat went up in flames, but reportedly noticed two survivors clinging onto the debris in the water
Bradley allegedly ordered the second strike in an effort to comply with Hegseth’s verbal order to leave no survivors.
He allegedly saw the survivors as targets and was concerned about whether they could alert other traffickers to come and collect the cargo.
In all, 11 people were killed in the strike.
Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have pledged to look into the circumstances surrounding the strikes.
The waters were muddied further on Monday when White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Hegseth had authorized Bradley to conduct the strikes.
‘Secretary Hegseth authorized Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes,’ she said.
‘Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated.’
Leavitt said the strike was conducted in ‘self defense’ to protect US interests, took place in international waters and was in line with the law of armed conflict.
Trump said that he would not have wanted a second strike on the boat and said Hegseth denied giving such an order
‘This administration has designated these narco terrorists as foreign terrorist organizations.’
The military has carried out at least 19 strikes against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and off the Pacific coasts of Latin America, killing at least 76 people since September.
On Sunday, Trump backed Hegseth after lawmakers from both parties said they support congressional reviews of US military strikes against the alleged terrorists, citing a published report that Hegseth issued a verbal order for all crew members to be killed as part of a September 2 attack.
The lawmakers said they did not know whether last week’s Washington Post report was true, and some Republicans were skeptical, but they said attacking survivors of an initial missile strike poses serious legal concerns.
‘The order was to kill everybody,’ two people with direct knowledge of the operation told the paper.
Trump had Hegseth’s back, saying: ‘I don’t know anything about it. He said he did not say that.’
When he repeated that Hegseth ‘didn’t do it,’ he was then asked if he’d be okay with it if Hegseth had done it.
‘He said he didn’t do it, so I don’t have to make that decision.’
However, Trump did also say the administration ‘will look into’ the matter and added, ‘I wouldn’t have wanted that – not a second strike.’
George Washington University law professor Laura Dickinson said most legal experts do not believe the boat strikes qualify as armed conflict, so lethal force would only be allowed as a last resort.
‘It would be murder outside of armed conflict,’ she said. Even in war, the killing of survivors ‘would likely be a war crime.’
At the time of the strikes, Bradley was head of Joint Special Operations Command.
A group of former military lawyers, the JAGs Working Group, called the order ‘patently illegal,’ saying service members have a duty to disobey it and that anyone who complies should be prosecuted for war crimes.
Despite drawing bipartisan concern and criticism in Congress, the Pentagon has not presented evidence to support the claims that the boats were carrying drugs or were operated by terrorist groups.
If proven that Hegseth ordered the second strike, both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill had agreed Sunday that Hegseth was in deep trouble.
‘This rises to the level of a war crime if it’s true,’ said Democrat Tim Kaine of Virginia.
‘Obviously, if that occurred, that would be very serious and I agree that that would be an illegal act,’ said Ohio Republican Mike Turner.
The latest twist in the saga comes after Trump warned Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro to flee alongside his wife or face the consequences as the US loads up on warships and troops in the region.
The United States’ presence in the region has only grown more menacing, with at least 11 warships and 15,000 troops deployed, including a unit capable of a land invasion to stop alleged ‘narco-terrorists.’
The president even assured Maduro of safe passage for himself, his wife and son if he resigned immediately, The Miami Herald reported.
A source familiar with the call said that Maduro asked Trump for global amnesty, which the president rejected, before asking to keep his control of the Venezuelan armed forces in exchange for free elections.
Trump also said no to that idea before Maduro rejected the idea of resigning.
The president confirmed Sunday that the talks had occurred amid soaring tensions between the two countries.
‘I wouldn’t say it went well or badly. It was a phone call,’ Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
He has flagged the possibility of US military intervention in Venezuela. On Saturday, he said the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered ‘closed in its entirety,’ but gave no further details.
The Trump administration has been weighing options to combat what it has portrayed as Maduro’s role in supplying illegal drugs that have killed Americans. Maduro has denied having any links to the illegal drug trade.
According to Reuters, Trump is weighing whether to attempt to overthrow Maduro, and has authorized covert CIA operations in the country.
