Bipartisan Criticism Mounts Over Hegseth's Role in Caribbean Boat Strike
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are speaking out against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of either lying or incompetence over his role in authorizing a follow-up attack on a boat carrying suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean. The incident left two survivors dead.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) has expressed concern that Hegseth's order to strike the ship could be seen as a clear violation of US and international laws governing warfare, amounting to a war crime if confirmed. "This rises to the level of a war crime if it's true," Kaine said.
Meanwhile, Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) has taken a more extreme stance, calling Hegseth a "war criminal" and advocating for his immediate termination. In contrast, Rep. Rand Paul (R-KY), who has expressed anti-war views in the past, has questioned Hegseth's credibility on the matter, suggesting that either he was lying about not being informed of the incident or that he is simply incompetent.
The Washington Post reported earlier this week that Hegseth had directed the operation's commander to kill everyone aboard the boat. However, Hegseth has denied these claims, calling them "fabricated" and blaming any miscommunication on the "fog of war."
The Pentagon and the White House have defended Hegseth's actions, citing Adm. Frank Bradley, the mission commander, as the one who approved the second strike. However, some lawmakers, including Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), have criticized the administration for attempting to deflect responsibility onto military personnel.
As the controversy continues to unfold, Senate leaders from both parties have vowed to launch a thorough investigation into the incident, vowing to determine the facts and ensure accountability. The fallout highlights the growing distrust of Hegseth's leadership among lawmakers, who are demanding answers about his role in authorizing this operation.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are speaking out against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of either lying or incompetence over his role in authorizing a follow-up attack on a boat carrying suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean. The incident left two survivors dead.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) has expressed concern that Hegseth's order to strike the ship could be seen as a clear violation of US and international laws governing warfare, amounting to a war crime if confirmed. "This rises to the level of a war crime if it's true," Kaine said.
Meanwhile, Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) has taken a more extreme stance, calling Hegseth a "war criminal" and advocating for his immediate termination. In contrast, Rep. Rand Paul (R-KY), who has expressed anti-war views in the past, has questioned Hegseth's credibility on the matter, suggesting that either he was lying about not being informed of the incident or that he is simply incompetent.
The Washington Post reported earlier this week that Hegseth had directed the operation's commander to kill everyone aboard the boat. However, Hegseth has denied these claims, calling them "fabricated" and blaming any miscommunication on the "fog of war."
The Pentagon and the White House have defended Hegseth's actions, citing Adm. Frank Bradley, the mission commander, as the one who approved the second strike. However, some lawmakers, including Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), have criticized the administration for attempting to deflect responsibility onto military personnel.
As the controversy continues to unfold, Senate leaders from both parties have vowed to launch a thorough investigation into the incident, vowing to determine the facts and ensure accountability. The fallout highlights the growing distrust of Hegseth's leadership among lawmakers, who are demanding answers about his role in authorizing this operation.
I'm trying to stay neutral here, but it's hard not to wonder what really happened on that boat. I mean, two people are dead and we're still arguing over who's right or wrong? 
It seems like everyone's got an opinion, from Kaine saying it could be a war crime to Markey calling Hegseth one himself... can't we just focus on finding out the truth? 
I'm all for accountability, but let's not jump to conclusions just yet. We need more facts before we start throwing around accusations like war crimes or fabrications. 
... I mean, if what Sen Kaine is saying is true, it's huge and it makes me wonder how we even handle situations like that without losing our moral compass 
. And on the other hand, Rand Paul's questioning of Hegseth's credibility doesn't sit right with me either 
. This whole thing feels like a huge mess, and it'll be interesting to see how the investigation unfolds 
.
I don't think it's cool when people in charge lie or get things wrong 
. It's like, we gotta be able to trust them, you know? 
Pete Hegseth is in a tough spot right now 
, and I hope the Senate investigation gets to the bottom of things 
. It's not okay 
. The 'fog of war' excuse is just that - an excuse 
. Let's see some real answers, please! 
he was supposed to be the one overseeing these op's but now it sounds like he just winged it and got lucky lol what's next? him telling us he's been flying planes in iraq since 2003 too? 
gotta get some real answers here
like, defense sec should be all about protecting us not killing people on a boat 
and now ppl r saying he might've been lying or just clueless? 
either way its a huge deal! 
and i gotta say Rep. Rand Paul is low-key my hero for calling out Hegseth's credibility issues 
but Sen. Ed Markey is like "ok, let's go full-on war criminal"