Pete Hegseth

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Let Americans See Video of Strike and Decide: Democrats

Republican senator says he'd like more such attacks

(Newser) - House Democrats called Sunday for the Pentagon to release video of the US strike that killed survivors of a first attack on a boat in the Caribbean Sea, with the party's top member on the Armed Services Committee saying the evidence would contradict Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's explanation....

Hegseth Isn't Sure Video of Strike Will Be Released

Pentagon chief defends strike on survivors but says decision to release footage is under review

(Newser) - Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Saturday again defended a second missile strike on a boat in the Caribbean, but he would not commit to making the footage public. "We're reviewing the process, and we'll see," Hegseth told reporters at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi...

Admiral: We Had No 'Kill Them All' Order

A Democratic congressman, meanwhile, condemns 'troubling' killing of survivors

(Newser) - The military commander responsible for ordering a missile strike on survivors of an earlier drug boat strike was defending his decision-making Thursday to lawmakers in a closed session on Thursday, and a few early developments have surfaced:
  • No 'kill' order: Admiral Frank "Mitch" Bradley told lawmakers that Pentagon
...

NYT Sues Pete Hegseth Over 'Press-Restrictive Scheme'

Pentagon has banned reporting without official approval; press corps revolts

(Newser) - The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, challenging a controversial Pentagon policy that bars journalists from reporting any information—even unclassified material—unless it has been formally cleared by defense officials. The newspaper says the rule, put in place...

Admiral to Say Strike on Boat Survivors Was Justified

WSJ: Bradley expected to tell lawmakers the 2 men intended to continue drug run

(Newser) - The military commander in the hot seat over a missile strike on survivors of a boat strike will defend himself in a closed-door briefing with lawmakers on Thursday, and the Wall Street Journal has a preview of what Admiral Frank "Mitch" Bradley will say: He will argue that the...

Fisherman's Family Accuses US of 'Extra-Judicial Killings'

Colombian family files human rights complaint

(Newser) - The family of a Colombian fisherman killed in a military strike at sea has filed a human rights complaint against the United States. In a complaint filed with the Washington, DC-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the family says Alejandro Carranza Medina, a 42-year-old killed in an alleged anti-narcotics operation...

Hegseth Wears Thin on Congressional Republicans

Lawmakers express frustration with Pentagon secrecy over strikes

(Newser) - Republican lawmakers are expressing exasperation with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his management of the Pentagon—with some suggesting he may not be able to keep the job even if their investigations clear him in the fatal attack on apparent survivors of a US strike in the Caribbean. Their frustration...

Report: IG Finds Hegseth Could Have Put Troops in Danger

Classified version of Signalgate report was provided to lawmakers Tuesday night

(Newser) - The Pentagon's watchdog found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put US personnel and their mission at risk when he used the Signal messaging app to convey sensitive information about a military strike against Yemen's Houthi militants, sources tell the AP and CNN . Hegseth, however, has the ability to...

Hegseth Defends Boat Strike, Cites 'Fog of War'

He says he didn't see any survivors after first strike

(Newser) - Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Tuesday defended the secondary strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea, citing the "fog of war" as reason for his not seeing any survivors in the water when the strike was ordered and launched. Hegseth's comments came during a...

Mark Kelly Rips Into 'Embarrassing' Hegseth

Senator likens defense chief to a boy playing Army

(Newser) - Sen. Mark Kelly laid into Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Monday amid the controversy over a lethal missile strike on a drug boat. The former Navy pilot, who was recently accused of sedition by President Trump for a video in which he urged service members to disobey illegal orders, likened...

Hegseth: Admiral Who Ordered 2nd Boat Strike Is 'American Hero'

Hegseth says Navy commander acted within the law on September mission

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday offered strong support for Navy Admiral Frank M. "Mitch" Bradley, who reportedly ordered a controversial second military strike on a boat that was allegedly involved in drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea on Sept. 2, the Hill reports. "Let's make one...

Hegseth Angers Publisher With Franklin the Turtle Post

Secretary shared fake book cover showing children's book character firing RPG at drug boat

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, apparently making light of war crimes allegations , shared a meme Sunday showing the children's book character Franklin the Turtle firing a rocket-propelled grenade at a boat. The meme depicted a fake book cover with the title "Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists," the Hill reports....

Did Hegseth Go Too Far? What Critics Are Saying

Some see the killing of boat survivors as a violation of military and human rights codes

(Newser) - Pete Hegseth and the White House deny allegations that anything improper unfolded when special ops troops unleashed two separate missile strikes on a suspected drug boat—the second of which killed two survivors clinging to the wrecked vessel. But the issue only seems to be gaining steam. Background and opinions:...

White House Defends Second Strike on Boat

Hegseth and the special ops commander operated legally, says Karoline Leavitt

(Newser) - The White House on Monday defended as lawful two separate missile strikes on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean, the second coming as two survivors clung to the vessel after the first strike. But White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt also clarified that the second strike order came from the...

Trump: Hegseth Didn't Order Strike on Survivors

President says he trusts Pentagon chief's denial about drug boat controversy

(Newser) - President Trump is standing by Pete Hegseth amid controversy over a deadly military strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that the Pentagon chief did not order a second strike specifically to kill two survivors from the initial strike. "Pete...

Congress Looks Into Report Hegseth Issued Kill Order

House, Senate panels pledge oversight of military operations in Caribbean

(Newser) - House and Senate committees have launched inquiries in response to reporting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered that everyone on a vessel the US says was smuggling drugs in the Caribbean be killed . Hegseth gave the spoken command after two people appeared to have survived the initial US strike in...

After Boat Attack, 2 Survivors Were Blown Out of Water: WaPo

Source says DOD chief Hegseth gave order to 'kill everybody' in first boat strike in early September

(Newser) - A new report reveals that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly gave a chilling order during the Trump administration's first military strike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean. "The order was to kill everybody," a source said to be familiar with the operation tells the Washington ...

South Park's Thanksgiving Chaos Involves Hegseth

He mistakes holiday marathon for Antifa uprising

(Newser) - South Park takes aim at both the US government and Saudi Arabia in its latest episode, a Thanksgiving special that puts the town's holiday marathon at the center of the chaos. With regular sponsors unable to foot the bill—Stan's Tegridy Weed Farms is out of business, and...

FBI Asks to Interview 6 Lawmakers Over Video

Democrats reminded troops that they have a duty to refuse illegal orders

(Newser) - The FBI has asked to interview six Democratic lawmakers who told military personnel that they must refuse illegal orders. The lawmakers confirmed the FBI request to the Washington Post on Tuesday. The FBI request to schedule interviews comes after the Pentagon threatened to recall Sen. Mark Kelly to active duty,...

Pentagon Moves to End Partnership With Scouts

Defense secretary cites DEI initiatives in draft memo to Congress

(Newser) - The Pentagon is reportedly preparing to end a century-old partnership with Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts, according to documents reviewed by NPR . Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has drafted a memo to Congress criticizing the organization as "genderless," claiming it no longer supports "the future...

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