hegseth

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers from both parties said Sunday that they support congressional reviews of U.S. military strikes against vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, citing a published report that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order for all crew members to be killed as part of a Sept. 2 attack.

The lawmakers said they did not know whether last week’s Washington Post report was true, and some Republicans were skeptical, but they said attacking survivors of an initial missile strike poses serious legal concerns.

“This rises to the level of a war crime if it’s true,” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.).

Rep. Michael R. Turner (R-Ohio), when asked about a follow-up strike aimed at people no longer able to fight, said Congress does not have information that that happened. He noted that leaders of the Armed Services Committee in both the House and Senate have opened investigations.

“Obviously, if that occurred, that would be very serious and I agree that that would be an illegal act,” Turner said.

Turner said there are concerns in Congress about the attacks on vessels that the Trump administration says are transporting drugs, but the allegation regarding the Sept. 2 attack “is completely outside anything that has been discussed with Congress, and there is an ongoing investigation.”

The comments from lawmakers during news show appearances come as the administration escalates a lethal maritime campaign that it says is needed to combat drug trafficking into the United States.

On Saturday, President Trump said the airspace “above and surrounding” Venezuela should be considered “closed in its entirety,” an assertion that raised more questions about the U.S. pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Maduro’s government accused Trump of making a ”colonial threat” and seeking to undermine the South American country’s sovereignty.

After the Post’s report, Hegseth said Friday on X that “fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland.”

“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,” Hegseth wrote.

Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and its top Democrat, Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, said in a joint statement late Friday that the committee “will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances.”

That was followed Saturday by the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Republican Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, and ranking Democratic member, Washington Rep. Adam Smith, issuing a joint statement saying the panel was committed to “providing rigorous oversight of the Department of Defense’s military operations in the Caribbean.”

“We take seriously the reports of follow-on strikes on boats alleged to be ferrying narcotics in the SOUTHCOM region and are taking bipartisan action to gather a full accounting of the operation in question,” Rogers and Smith said, referring to U.S. Southern Command.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), asked about the Sept. 2 attack, said Hegseth deserves a chance to present his side.

“We should get to the truth. I don’t think he would be foolish enough to make this decision to say, ‘Kill everybody, kill the survivors,’ because that’s a clear violation of the law of war,” Bacon said. “So, I’m very suspicious that he would’ve done something like that because it would go against common sense.”

Kaine and Turner appeared on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” and Bacon was on ABC’s “This Week.”

Freking writes for the Associated Press.

Nov. 29 (UPI) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied ordering the U.S. military to “kill everybody” and said news reports claiming such are “fake news.”

Hegseth was responding to a report by the Washington Post on Friday that accused Hegseth of verbally ordering military personnel to kill all 11 crew members by carrying out a second strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel on Sept. 2.

That strike was the first of many targeting drug vessels in international waters, but the Washington Post only cited anonymous sources to back its claim, which the Defense Department has called fabricated and “fake news,” according to The Guardian.

“We told the Washington Post that this entire narrative was false yesterday,” Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell said in a social media post on Friday.

“These people just fabricate anonymously sourced stories out of the whole cloth,” Parnell continued.

“Fake news is the enemy of the people,” he added.

Hegseth went further, calling the Washington Post report “fabricated, inflammatory and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland.”

The Washington Post said Hegseth’s alleged verbal order resulted in a second strike on the vessel as two surviving crew members clung to the wreckage, which killed them.

The report on Friday prompted Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and ranking member Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., to order inquiries into the matter to determine the facts.

Hegseth said every strike carried out against alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean has been legal and only targeted members of designated foreign terrorist organizations.

A group of “former military attorneys” on Saturday released a report saying international law prohibits the targeting of attack survivors and requires the attacking force to “protect, rescue and, if applicable, treat them as prisoners of war,” the Washington Post reported.

The U.S. military has struck 21 vessels whose crews were alleged to be smuggling drugs to the United States and killed 83, according to USA Today.

As U.S. President Donald Trump continues to mull his options for dealing with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth arrived in the Caribbean to meet with regional leaders. The visit comes as the U.S. has built up a large military presence in the region and the world awaits what Trump will do next. You can catch up with our most recent coverage of the Caribbean operation in our story here.

“The Secretary will meet with President Luis Abinader, Minister of Defense Lt. Gen. Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre and Cabinet officials to strengthen defense relationships and reaffirm America’s commitment to defend the homeland, protect our regional partners and ensure stability and security across the Americas,” according to the Pentagon. His visit follows a trip to the region by Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who returned to Washington last night.

Though Trump says he is open to discussions with Maduro that could avoid hostilities, the South American leader continues to show outward displays of defiance.

On Tuesday, Trump remained coy about his intentions for what has been dubbed Operation Southern Spear, ostensibly a counter-narcotics effort but one also aimed at pressuring Maduro.

“I might talk to him. We’ll see,” Trump told reporters Tuesday night aboard Air Force One in reference to Maduro. “But we’re discussing that with the different staffs. We might talk.”

Asked why he would want to talk to Maduro after his administration designated the cartel he allegedly leads a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), Trump noted that the Venezuelan leader has two options. As we previously discussed, the FTO designation opens the aperture on the ability for Trump to order kinetic operations against Venezuela.

“If we can save lives, we can do things the easy way, that’s fine,” Trump explained. “And if we have to do it the hard way that’s fine, too… I’m not going to tell you what the goal is. You should probably know what the goal is. But, they’ve caused a lot of problems. And they’ve sent millions of people into our country.”

PRESIDENT TRUMP on potential talks with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro: “If we can save lives, if we can do things the easy way, that’s fine. And if we have to do it the hard way, that’s fine too.” pic.twitter.com/g8pxPvcfgv

— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 26, 2025

For his part, Maduro tried to exude an aura of confidence on Tuesday, invoking the memory of national hero Simon Bolivar to rally a nation under the gun. You cannot travel far in Caracas or much of the rest of the country without coming upon a memorial to Bolivar, who liberated the country from Spain 200 years ago and remains highly revered.

Speaking at an event honoring that liberation, Maduro urged Venezuelans to fight “foreign aggressors” just as Bolivar did.

“We have to be capable of defending every inch of this blessed land from any sort of imperialist threat or aggression, wherever it comes from,” Maduro, clad in camouflage from head to toe, exclaimed. “I swear before our Lord Jesus Christ, that I will give my all for the victory of Venezuela.”

“We must be ready to defend every inch of this blessed land from imperialist threat or aggression, no matter where it comes from,” Maduro continued as he brandished a sword believed to have once belonged to Bolivar. “There is no excuse for anyone to fail at this decisive moment, for the existence of the Republic, no excuse.”

While the Trump administration insists that its efforts are ultimately aimed at stopping the flow of drugs into the United States, the president of Colombia told CNN that there is another motivation for the large military buildup.

Oil “is at the heart of the matter,” Gustavo Petro claimed to CNN in an exclusive interview, noting that Venezuela has what are considered the largest oil reserves in the world.

“So, that’s a negotiation about oil. I believe that is (US President Donald) Trump’s logic. He’s not thinking about the democratization of Venezuela, let alone the narco-trafficking,” he continued, adding that Venezuela is not considered a major drug producer and that only a relatively small portion of the global drugs trade flows through the country.”

Of course, Petro’s point of view has to be seen as coming from a leader who has been at odds with Trump. Since the American president returned to the White House, Petro “has harshly criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policies, its support for Israel and its military activity around Latin America,” the cable network noted. Trump, meanwhile, has sanctioned Petro for a perceived lack of support in drug interdiction efforts.

“Trump is not thinking about the democratization of Venezuela, let alone the narcotrafficking. It’s about oil.”

Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks exclusively to @IsaCNN about why the US president is targeting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. pic.twitter.com/EtjYsQVIuS

— CNN International PR (@cnnipr) November 25, 2025

Whether Trump is considering offering Maduro an off-ramp before what could be airstrikes on targets in Venezuela or a covert action to depose the South American strongman remains unknown. However, there are indications that Maduro is not interested in a negotiated exit from power.

“The calculation for Maduro is that he will always be safer here than anywhere else,” Phil Gunson, an analyst in Caracas for the International Crisis Group, told The Wall Street Journal.

With a $50 million bounty on his head as the result of being a fugitive from U.S. drug charges, Maduro likely feels unsafe outside his cocoon of protection in Venezuela. 

Beyond that, the list of countries that would take him and provide security is short. Russia or Cuba might, but as the Journal noted, refuge in a European capital or elsewhere would bring limited security from those seeking not just material reward, but also revenge after years of what many consider a despotic rule.

The public statements issued by both Trump and Maduro in recent days contrast with previous sentiments. While Trump has left speaking with Maduro as an option, he reportedly privately turned down de-escalation overtures from the South American leader. Meanwhile, though Maduro is putting on a brave face, it was said that he was open to leaving power in exchange for amnesty for him and his lieutenants, the lifting of the bounty and a comfortable exile, according to claims in a report from The Atlantic.

Meanwhile, there are 15,000 U.S. troops, a dozen ships and an array of aircraft in the Caribbean waiting for orders. To highlight that presence, the military has produced a steady stream of videos pushed out on social media. They show U.S. forces on ships like the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, or land-based in Puerto Rico, training and preparing.

An F/A-18E Super Hornet launches from the flight deck of the world’s largest aircraft carrier, Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), in the western Atlantic Ocean.

U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of #OpSouthernSpear.… pic.twitter.com/9mb4sJocJP

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) November 26, 2025

The flight deck never sleeps.

The world’s largest aircraft carrier, Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), conducts night flight operations in the Caribbean Sea. 

U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the U.S. Southern Command… pic.twitter.com/sZwhTiH5J2

— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) November 25, 2025

These visuals are part of the Trump administration’s increasing pressure campaign on Maduro. On Nov. 24, Air Forces Southern Command publicized another Bomber Attack Demonstration, with B-52H Stratofortresses from Minot Air Force Base conducting the mission in the Caribbean. It was at least the second such demonstration in a week.

As we explained in an earlier story, the B-52s “are capable of unleashing waves of standoff cruise missiles and can carry a host of other conventional munitions that can be employed against targets on land and at sea. Though the Venezuelan armed forces have limited air defense capabilities, they could still pose a threat. Standoff strikes from aircraft like the B-52 and other assets would be a likely component of any future U.S. direct action against targets inside the country to help reduce risks to friendly forces. They could even target air defense systems to help clear the way for follow-on operations.”

.@usairforce B-52H long-range bombers from @TeamMinot conducted a Bomber Attack Demo in the Caribbean Sea in support of Operation Southern Spear, bringing Hemispheric security & stability, Nov 24. During the mission, USAF integrated with fighter jets & trained on rapid mobility. pic.twitter.com/cQAhMJMV5c

— Air Forces Southern (@AFSOUTH) November 26, 2025

All the while, American men and women will spend another holiday away from home, a fact of life in the service. Whether they will be pressed into action against Maduro remains unknown.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Nov. 25 (UPI) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is planning to cut ties with Scouting America for attacking what he called “boy-friendly spaces,” according to leaked documents made public Tuesday.

In the documents, first reported by NPR, Hegseth criticizes Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts, for straying far from what he characterized as its original mission and promoting “gender confusion.”

Since taking office, Hegseth has opened a new front in the culture war as he’s tried to weed out initiatives he’s argued have prioritized political correctness at the expense of military readiness. Now, Hegseth appears to be coming for the military’s century-old relationship with the organizations.

“The organization once endorsed by President Theodore Roosevelt no longer supports the future of American boys,” Hegseth reportedly wrote.

The documents are draft memos to Congress arguing the Pentagon should ban Scout troops from meeting at military bases while severing congressionally mandated support to the National Jamboree, an event that attracts as many as 20,000 scouts to a location in West Virginia, according to NPR.

Scouting America responded with a statement expressing surprise and sadness over the documents, saying that scouts still “swear a duty to God and country.”

The organization noted that “an enormous percentage of those in our military academies” come from scouting programs and many go on to serve in the armed forces. It also pushed back on Hegseth’s assertion that Scouting America is “no longer a meritocracy,” saying that badges and ranks are earned.

“Scouting will never turn its back on the children of our military families,” the organization said in the statement. “Just as we always have, Scouts will continue to put duty to country above duty to self and will remain focused on serving all American families in the U.S. and abroad.”

Scouting America has seen significant changes since it was first founded in 1910 with the aim of instilling good citizenship in boys with outdoor-oriented activities and community service projects. In 2013, it allowed gay members, followed by allowing girls to join years later and adopting its gender neutral name last year.

The Pentagon declined to comment to NPR on the memos, describing them as “leaked documents that we cannot authenticate and that may be pre-decisional.”

The short-range weapon is believed to have flown 700km (435 miles) and landed in the East Sea, otherwise known as the Sea of Japan.

North Korea has fired at least one ballistic missile towards its eastern waters, the South Korean military has said, just days after United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited South Korea for annual security talks.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the development on Friday, saying the short-range missile flew 700km (435 miles) towards the East Sea, otherwise known as the Sea of Japan.

The Japanese government also said North Korea had launched a missile, adding that it is likely to have fallen in waters outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

Pyongyang’s latest launch comes four days after South Korea said its neighbour had fired 10 rounds of artillery into its western waters, and about a week after US President Donald Trump gave Seoul permission to build a nuclear-powered submarine.

Experts say the move, which will see South Korea join a small club of countries using such vessels, will greatly enhance its naval and defence capabilities.

South Korea wants to receive enriched uranium from the US to use as fuel for the nuclear-powered submarine, which it plans to build at home, a South Korean presidential official said on Friday.

Since they both took office earlier this year, Trump and his South Korean counterpart Lee Jae Myung have sought to restart dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

However, Kim has shunned any talks with Washington and Seoul since previous discussions with the US collapsed in 2019.

North Korea’s leader said in September that he was open to talks provided that the US drop its demand for Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons. He has repeatedly said his country is an “irreversible” nuclear state.

Last month, Kim attended a major military parade in Pyongyang, along with high-level officials from allied countries, including Russia and China. It showcased some of his nation’s most powerful weapons, including a new intercontinental ballistic missile.

North Korean and Russian military officials met in Pyongyang this week to discuss strengthening cooperation, North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Friday.

Pak Yong Il, vice director of the Korean People’s Army’s General Political Bureau, met a Russian delegation led by Vice Defence Minister Viktor Goremykin on Wednesday.

KCNA said the allies discussed expanding ties as part of the “deepened bilateral relations” agreed between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Earlier this week, South Korea’s spy agency said it had detected possible recruitment and training activities in North Korea, noting this could signal a potential further deployment of troops to Russia.

So far, Seoul estimates that Pyongyang has sent 15,000 soldiers to Russia to aid it in its war against Ukraine, and large numbers have died on the battlefield there.

On Tuesday, the South Korean National Intelligence Service also said it believes that Kim has dispatched about 5,000 military construction troops to its ally since September to help with infrastructure restoration projects.