By Gabe WhisnantShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday defended the U.S. military’s recent strikes on vessels suspected of smuggling drugs from Venezuela, warning that operations will continue as scrutiny mounts in Congress.
“We’ve only just begun striking narco boats and putting narco terrorists at the bottom of the ocean,” Hegseth said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House. Seated again to President Donald Trump’s left, Hegseth said the Pentagon is “getting back to its basics,” which he described as a renewed emphasis on “lethality.”
...Hegseth’s appearance drew heightened attention as the Defense Department faces bipartisan criticism over a follow-up strike in September on an alleged drug-smuggling boat. The Washington Post reported that Hegseth issued a verbal order for the second strike, which killed survivors from the initial blast and sparked questions about the chain of command.
Trump did not mention the strikes during his extended remarks at the start of the meeting.
The White House on Monday said the Navy admiral who ordered the second strike acted “within his authority and the law.” Press secretary Karoline Leavitt identified the commander as Vice Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley, who is scheduled to brief members of Congress in a classified session Thursday.
Lawmakers in both parties have announced reviews of the U.S. military’s actions, which targeted vessels believed to be carrying drugs from Venezuela as part of an intensified anti-smuggling campaign.
Hegseth, asked about the ongoing investigations, expressed confidence in the officers involved. “We always have the back of our commanders,” he said.
The Pentagon has not publicly detailed the evidence behind the operations or explained the decision-making that led to the second strike, but administration officials have argued the actions are part of a broader effort to disrupt narcotics trafficking networks in the Caribbean region.
Loading twitter content...
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines
Add Newsweek as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.Recommended For You
NewsChipotle Launches Free Food Initiative3 min read
NewsCitizenship Requirements to Change For Millions of Americans Under New Bill4 min read
NewsPastor Threatens To Report Woman to ICE Over Parking Space3 min read
U.S.Housing Affordability ‘Considerably Worse’ Than Five Years Ago4 min read
NewsUncommon Knowledge: What Europe Can Teach Trump about Immigration5 min read
NewsTennessee Special Election Could Be Kamala Harris’ Revenge on Donald Trump6 min readRelated Podcasts
Top Stories
Live BlogPutin Issues Stark Warning to Europe As He Meets Witkoff, Kushner—Live Updates3 min read
NewsDonald Trump Is Trying to Mold Latin America in His Own Image8 min readNewsUncommon Knowledge: What Europe Can Teach Trump about Immigration6 min read
PoliticsDonald Trump Shares Health Update Amid MRI Questions2 min read
NewsElena Kagan Appears to Align With Conservatives in Supreme Court Case3 min read
WorldPope Leo Warns Trump Not To Launch War Against Venezuela’s Maduro3 min readTrending
WeatherList of Schools Closed Tuesday as Snowstorm Hits4 min read
ImmigrationGreen Card Update: New Changes for Holders in December6 min read
ViralCat Arrives at Vet for Neuter, Staff Not Ready for What’s in the Carrier3 min read
Black FridayBlack Friday Spending Raises Eyebrows Over US Economy8 min read
NWSWinter Storm Warning as 8 Inches of Snow to Hit North and Midwest3 min readOpinion
OpinionBridging the AI Velocity Gap | Opinion5 min read
OpinionPaving the Way Forward—It’s Time To Build the Roads and Bridges to America’s Next Golden Age | Opinion4 min read
OpinionConventional Wisdom: Pope Visits Turkey and Lebanon Edition3 min read
OpinionForeign Energy Companies Have No Home in Our Forests | Opinion4 min read
OpinionThe Hemp Ban Shows America Still Works | Opinion4 min read
