US President Donald Trump has distanced himself from a reported second strike on a Caribbean boat carrying survivors of an initial missile attack, calling it "not a good thing" and saying he wouldn't have wanted such an action. The incident occurred in September, during which the US military targeted a vessel believed to be ferrying drugs, killing at least 83 people.
According to reports, two survivors were seen clinging to the burning boat after the initial strike, prompting the US military to launch another attack on the vessel. However, Trump has denied that he was aware of this second strike, saying "Pete said he did not order the death of those two men." The US Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, had allegedly given orders for all civilians to be killed on board.
The international community has been quick to condemn the reported strikes as extrajudicial killings. The UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Türk, has urged Washington to investigate the legality of these actions, citing "strong evidence" that they constitute war crimes.
Trump's administration has faced widespread criticism for its campaign against alleged drug-trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean. Human rights groups have accused US officials of violating international law by carrying out strikes on boats without proper judicial oversight.
The controversy has raised concerns about the Trump administration's commitment to upholding human rights and adhering to international norms. In a bizarre statement, Hegseth posted a mock-up book cover featuring a children's character shooting at boat crews crewed with armed men. The US President also confirmed that he spoke with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro but refused to comment on the specifics of their conversation.
The recent developments have sparked growing unease among US allies and have raised questions about Trump's foreign policy priorities. As tensions in Venezuela continue to escalate, it remains to be seen how Washington will proceed in its efforts to combat alleged narco-terrorism.
According to reports, two survivors were seen clinging to the burning boat after the initial strike, prompting the US military to launch another attack on the vessel. However, Trump has denied that he was aware of this second strike, saying "Pete said he did not order the death of those two men." The US Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, had allegedly given orders for all civilians to be killed on board.
The international community has been quick to condemn the reported strikes as extrajudicial killings. The UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Türk, has urged Washington to investigate the legality of these actions, citing "strong evidence" that they constitute war crimes.
Trump's administration has faced widespread criticism for its campaign against alleged drug-trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean. Human rights groups have accused US officials of violating international law by carrying out strikes on boats without proper judicial oversight.
The controversy has raised concerns about the Trump administration's commitment to upholding human rights and adhering to international norms. In a bizarre statement, Hegseth posted a mock-up book cover featuring a children's character shooting at boat crews crewed with armed men. The US President also confirmed that he spoke with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro but refused to comment on the specifics of their conversation.
The recent developments have sparked growing unease among US allies and have raised questions about Trump's foreign policy priorities. As tensions in Venezuela continue to escalate, it remains to be seen how Washington will proceed in its efforts to combat alleged narco-terrorism.
. i mean, we know the us has been cracking down on narco-trafficking in the caribbean and pacific, but come on, you can't just launch a second strike without proper oversight? it's not exactly subtle how they're going about this 
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. seriously though, it's just another example of the trump admin being super secretive and shady about their actions. i'm not saying they're definitely doing something wrong, but we need more transparency here, you know? 
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. either way, it's not exactly reassuring for the rest of us who are just trying to live our lives without getting caught up in all this drama 
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The UN Human Rights Chief is right on top of this - we need some real answers. And what's with Hegseth posting that weird book cover? 
It's like, come on guys, this isn't some video game or something. How can the US be so blind to its own actions? 
We should really take a step back and think about what we're doing here... it just doesn't add up! 
i mean i know he said he didnt order the 2nd strike but like how can u just say that after it happened?! 
dont think its funny tho when people r dying
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. And what's with Trump distancing himself from it now, when he's already been under fire for his campaign against narco-trafficking? It's like he's trying to sweep this mess under the rug 
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. The US government needs to get its priorities straight and start focusing on human rights instead of just shooting first 
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guess who's gonna get the blame for this mess? trump, obvs 
. And now Trump is trying to distance himself from it? Like, he's not entirely innocent here 
. And what's with Hegseth's book cover? A kids' character shooting people on boats? Are you kidding me? 
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That's not funny, mate! It's time for some real leadership from the US president, not this backpedaling and half-baked statements 
... the US is supposed to be all about freedom and democracy, but now they're just gonna do whatever Pete Hegseth says? 
... I'm not sayin' we shouldn't be fightin' narco-trafficking or anything, but you can't just start killin' people willy-nilly and call it "good policy" 
what's going on in this admin? 
. It's all getting pretty murky and I don't think anyone should be taking the Trump administration's word for it on this one... The fact that they're denying any involvement but then Hegseth posts a ridiculous book cover about kids shooting people? 
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this is so messed up 
? 83 people dead is just crazy 
i need to see some serious accountability on this one 
especially from the UN 
#JusticeForTheVictims #WarCrimeInvestigation #HumanRightsMatter
