Over the weekend, reports surfaced that a second strike was ordered against a drug boat after it had been hit with two apparent survivors during an initial strike on Sept. 2.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly ordered the second strike, although Hegseth denied that it was the case. Initially, the White House backed him up, but now the entire narrative has been reversed.
The White House is now saying that the strike was lawful and conducted in self-defense.
When the report of a second strike initially surfaced, Hegseth called it a fabricated story, as he often does when there is a negative narrative leveled against him. He steals Donald Trump’s playbook here, always blasting the media for being "fake news." He responded to the report by saying, “As usual, the fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland.
Hegseth went on, “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.”
More details emerged, revealing that a total of four missiles were fired at the boat. The first two to destroy the boat, the second two to kill the crew. Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) later stated that the second strike was required to remove potential navigational hazards to other ships. After that first strike, it was reported that JSOC changed its protocols to ensure the rescue of any survivors from such an operation.
I never approved of Hegseth's nomination to lead the Pentagon because he is a proven liar and, in my opinion, did not have the experience to oversee millions of troops and a nearly $1 trillion budget. He proves me right just about every day.
As far as the excuse given regarding operational hazards, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) responded, “The idea that wreckage from one small boat in a vast ocean is a hazard to marine traffic is patently absurd, and killing survivors is blatantly illegal. Mark my words: It may take some time, but Americans will be prosecuted for this, either as a war crime or outright murder.”
Now, let’s go back a bit to the early days of the administration and recall the Signal app scandal, and what appeared to be classified messages being sent out on a group chat, with a reporter mistakenly added to the chain. Hegseth initially offered up a similar response to that report, stating, “You’re talking about a deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who’s made a profession of peddling hoaxes. This is a guy who peddles in garbage.”
This is standard operating procedure for Hegseth. Rather than gather himself and assemble the facts, he blasts out that any story he dislikes is untrue, and then everyone else is left scrambling to cover for him. And I am now heavily leaning into that also being the case regarding the boat strike.
The White House just issued a report claiming that U.S. Special Operations Command, Adm. Frank "Mitch" Bradley ordered and directed the strikes on Sept. 2, "in self-defense" in international waters "in accordance with the law of armed conflict."
Now, let’s go back to the initial report, which claimed that the second strike was made to clear the waterways of a potential navigational hazard, but now we are to believe it was conducted for self-defense. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, "On September 2nd, Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. 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."
So, we have gone from a completely “fabricated” story to an Admiral being hung out to dry for the second strike with one of the most ridiculous excuses I have ever heard.
I want to be clear in that I fully support strikes designed to cut down drug boats, but there still have to be rules. With Hegseth’s history of lying, I don’t believe a word that comes out of his mouth, and I think the administration is forcing an Admiral to fall on his sword to protect Hegseth, and I find that abhorrent. At some point, the full truth will get out, and if it is anything close to what I think it is, Hegseth should be either fired or forced to submit his resignation.
He is in way over his head here, as he continues to prove. The fact that the White House has already reversed course on its initial claim is a huge red flag for me. This is not "just" about the information regarding the approval of this strike; this is about operational, professional, and personal integrity, and on those fronts, I think Hegseth is severely lacking.
