Trump Defends Pete Hegseth Over Boat Strike Report | EUROtoday

President Donald Trump on Sunday stated Pete Hegseth advised him he didn’t order the killing of all individuals aboard a suspected drug-smuggling vessel within the Caribbean struck by the U.S. army in September, as stress continues to mount on the protection secretary over an explosive Washington Post report printed on Friday.

The article recounted a Sept. 2 assault the U.S. army carried out on one vessel carrying 11 individuals. After the unique missile strike on the boat went off, commanders, watching by a drone stay feed, observed two survivors holding onto the wreckage, The Post stated. The Special Operations commander supervising the operation then ordered a second strike to kill these two individuals to stick to Hegseth’s calls for, the newspaper stated, citing two sources acquainted with the operation.

“The order was to kill everybody,” one of many sources advised The Post.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump stated Hegseth advised him “he did not say that and I believe him, 100%.”

Trump added that he “wouldn’t have wanted” a second strike however was reassured by Hegseth’s account.

“I have great confidence in him,” Trump stated of Hegseth.

Hegseth attacked the Post over the report final week however didn’t instantly contradict the article’s contents.

“As usual, the fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland,” Hegseth wrote on X.

As a results of the report, the Senate Armed Services Committee “will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances,” stated Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the panel’s chairman, and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the committee’s rating member. The House Armed Services Committee has additionally introduced the same probe.

Separately, different lawmakers, together with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), warned that “it’s very possible there was a war crime committed” on this case.

Meanwhile, requested if he has any issues in regards to the method through which the U.S. has been conducting boat strikes, Trump replied: “Very little.”

Trump added that he believes the U.S. army has been “doing an amazing job.”

Despite the president’s reward, although, lawmakers have raised questions in regards to the authorized justification used to hold out the assaults which have to this point killed over 80 individuals since early September, based on The New York Times.