US EditionHegseth stands by ‘American hero’ admiral who issued second boat strike order
Secretary Hegseth defends an admiral linked to a controversial second boat strike order amid widespread expert condemnation of the killings as war crimes, critics say he avoids accountability.
- On Monday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth posted praise for Admiral Mitch Bradley, declaring his 100% support and citing Department of War backing for service members.
- Last week, reports emerged that the killings tied to the strike involved unarmed shipwreck survivors and were widely condemned by experts as war crimes.
- Hegseth's response was twofold: he supported the order yet claimed it was not his to give, with Murphy stating `Now, in this case, it seems likely that he actually did give the order`.
- Erin Burnett noted on air that Hegseth's post shifts blame onto Bradley, with media commentators saying it undermines command accountability and chills the chain of command.
- Sen. Chris Murphy said `He is passing the buck` as he accused Hegseth of blame-shifting and warned this risks devastating consequences for American national security.
32 Articles
32 Articles
Experts accuse Trump admin of leaving top admiral 'exposed' to legal consequences: report
Admiral Frank M. Bradley – who was in charge of the September 2, 2025 mission in which the U.S. military killed two shipwrecked survivors of a boat strike in the Caribbean Sea — is being left out to dry by President Donald Trump's administration, according to multiple experts.The New York Times' Helene Cooper and John Ismay reported Tuesday that recent comments from Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House press secretary Karoline L…
Hegseth Says He Didn’t “Stick Around” for Second Strike, But Still Defends It
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday that he witnessed the initial strike in the U.S. military’s “double tap” attack on a boat in the Caribbean Sea in September, but had left the room before the second one because he was “busy.” In a cabinet meeting, Hegseth doubled down on his defense of the “double tap” boat strike on September 2 — while still distancing himself from direct… Source
US Navy Conducts Second Venezuela Boat Strike, White House Confirms
A top US Navy commander has found himself at the centre of a political storm after ordering a second strike on a suspected Venezuelan drug boat. The White House says he acted entirely within his authority.“Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted. She shut down claims that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told the military to “kill everybody,” as reported by the Washington Post.Still,…
‘Not Going to End Well’: Hegseth ‘In a Bind’ After Trying to Pin ‘War Crime’ on Navy Admiral — Morning Joe
Any hope Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had that Navy Admiral Frank Bradley would quietly soak up the blame for what critics are calling a “war crime” was shattered on Tuesday’s MS NOW panel. The idea that Bradley alone would take the fall for the deadly September strike — which killed two alleged “narcoterrorists” clinging to a burning vessel in the Caribbean — is already collapsing, and the political shrapnel is now aimed at Hegseth himself. B…
Pete Hegseth, with White House help, tries to distance himself from boat strike fallout
By Noah Robertson and Tara CoppThe Washington Post Officials in Congress and the Pentagon said Monday they are increasingly concerned that the Trump administration intends to scapegoat the military officer who directed U.S. forces to kill two survivors of a targeted strike on suspected drug smugglers in Latin America, as lawmakers made initial moves to investigate whether the attack constituted a war crime. The Washington Post reported exclusive…
Hegseth defends double boat strike as Trump says operations could extend to land
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is offering new details about what he knew during a U.S. operation that struck a suspected drug boat twice in September, an incident now facing potential congressional investigation. Hegseth said he watched the initial strike and insisted Admiral Frank Mitch Bradley made the decision to carry out the second, disputing a Washington Post report alleging Hegseth ordered forces to kill everyone on the boats.RELATED STO…
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