Hegseth rejects report claiming he ordered to ‘kill everybody’ aboard a ‘narco-boat’

“As usual, the fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland,” Hegseth posted on X on Friday.

“As we’ve said from the beginning, and in every statement, these highly effective strikes are specifically intended to be ‘lethal, kinetic strikes.’ The declared intent is to stop lethal drugs, destroy narco-boats, and kill the narco-terrorists who are poisoning the American people. Every trafficker we kill is affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization,” he continued.

The United States has continued to target alleged drug-smuggling vessels from Venezuela, having carried out more than 20 strikes and killing more than 80 people whom the Trump administration has labeled “narco-terrorists.” The Trump administration has vowed to crack down on drug traffickers and cartels, having labeled several South and Central American cartels as domestic terrorist organizations.

“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 said. “Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict—and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command.”

Democrats have accused the Trump administration of being over-eager in the strikes. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer responded to Hegseth’s posts by calling on him to release “full, unedited tapes of the strikes so the American people can see for themselves.”

“Your recklessness demands full transparency and strict congressional oversight,” Schumer claimed. “We will hold you accountable.”