Canadian political leaders are joining their American counterparts in demanding answers about a controversial military operation that resulted in multiple fatalities and has sparked war crime allegations against US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Bipartisan Concerns Over Deadly Incident
According to a Washington Post investigation published last week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered military personnel to eliminate everyone aboard an alleged drug vessel on September 2. The operation took a particularly disturbing turn when, after an initial attack left the boat damaged, two survivors were spotted clinging to wreckage.
Military documents obtained by The Post indicate that Special Operations Command then authorized a second strike specifically targeting the survivors to comply with Hegseth's original instructions. The follow-up attack proved fatal for both individuals.
War Crime Allegations Surface
Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat serving on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed grave concerns during a Sunday interview on ABC's "This Week." "I think it's very possible there was a war crime committed," Van Hollen stated.
His assessment was echoed by Senator Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat who serves on both the Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees. During an appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation," Kaine emphasized that "this rises to the level of a war crime if it's true."
The bipartisan nature of the concern became evident as Republican leaders of both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees announced plans to conduct thorough investigations into the incident.
Legal Experts Weigh In
Todd Huntley, a former military lawyer who spoke with The Washington Post, provided critical legal context. He explained that any directive to eliminate survivors who no longer pose a threat "would in essence be an order to show no quarter, which would be a war crime."
The Former JAGs Working Group, comprising ex-military lawyers, released a statement clarifying international law requirements: "Under such circumstances, not only does international law prohibit targeting these survivors, but it also requires the attacking force to protect, rescue, and, if applicable, treat them as prisoners of war."
The group further stated that violations of these obligations constitute war crimes, murder, or both. This interpretation aligns with the Department of Defense Law of War Manual, which explicitly states that "orders to fire upon the shipwrecked would be clearly illegal."
Administration Response and Ongoing Scrutiny
Hegseth responded to the allegations on Friday through a social media post, dismissing the reporting as "fake news" and characterizing it as "fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory." He maintained that current military operations in the Caribbean comply with both US and international law.
President Donald Trump defended his Defense Secretary on Sunday, telling reporters that "He said he didn't do it" when questioned about Hegseth's involvement in the reported follow-up strike.
Meanwhile, congressional committees are moving forward with their investigations. Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker and ranking member Jack Reed announced they have "directed inquiries to the Department" and plan "vigorous oversight to determine the facts."
The House Armed Services Committee, led by Chair Mike Rogers and ranking member Adam Smith, similarly committed to "bipartisan action to gather a full accounting of the operation in question."
This incident adds to existing concerns among lawmakers about the legal justification for boat strikes that began earlier this year. The administration has claimed these operations target drug trafficking vessels, but legislators report receiving insufficient information about the legal basis for these attacks.
