Top Republican and Democratic senators have joined forces to investigate explosive allegations that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a military strike that killed everyone aboard a suspected drug trafficking vessel in September.
Bipartisan Senate Response
Senator Roger Wicker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Jack Reed, the committee's top Democrat, issued a powerful joint statement promising thorough investigation into the disturbing reports. The senators revealed that the committee has already directed formal inquiries to the Department of Defense and pledged to conduct what they described as vigorous oversight to determine the complete facts surrounding these circumstances.
The bipartisan response comes after The Washington Post published a detailed investigation on Friday that sent shockwaves through Washington. The newspaper based its reporting on accounts from seven individuals who possessed direct knowledge of the September 2nd military strike that resulted in eleven fatalities aboard a boat near the coast of Trinidad.
Disturbing Details Emerge
According to the Post's sources, intelligence analysts had suspected the vessel was involved in drug smuggling operations. However, the response allegedly ordered by Secretary Hegseth went far beyond standard engagement protocols. One source told the newspaper with chilling clarity: The order was to kill everybody.
Even more troubling, the report indicates that Admiral Frank M. Mitch Bradley subsequently ordered a second strike specifically targeting two men who had initially survived the first attack and were found in the water. This follow-up order ensured no one aboard the suspected drug vessel would survive the military operation.
ABC News has since confirmed the essential fact that two survivors were indeed killed in a second strike, though their reporting stopped short of verifying the specific orders attributed to Hegseth and Bradley.
Political Fallout and Responses
Defense Secretary Hegseth responded to the allegations with characteristic defiance, dismissing the Washington Post's investigation as fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting from what he termed the fake news. He took to social media platform X to vigorously deny the claims.
The controversy touches on broader policy debates that emerged during the Trump administration. Former President Donald Trump has previously attempted to justify lethal strikes against people aboard suspected drug trafficking vessels operating in international waters, arguing this approach was preferable to arresting suspects and pursuing lengthy court proceedings.
Such strikes have drawn harsh condemnation from legal experts and human rights advocates who question their legality and morality. The Senate Armed Services Committee now faces the critical task of determining exactly what orders were given, who authorized them, and whether proper protocols were followed during the deadly September engagement.
In their statement, Senators Wicker and Reed noted they were fully aware of both the initial news reports detailing the strikes and the Department of Defense's official response. The bipartisan nature of their investigation suggests this matter will receive serious congressional scrutiny regardless of political affiliations.
