"Kill them all" US military hunts survivors on drug boat - Trump defends Hegseth
Reports of a possible violation of international law are causing public pressure on Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth. The White House is insisting on the legality of the operation in the Caribbean.
02.12.2025, 04:30
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- The US army is said to have deliberately killed survivors after an attack on a drug boat in the Caribbean.
- Critics speak of executions contrary to international law.
- The White House demonstratively backs Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.
In the debate about a US attack on a boat in the Caribbean that may have violated international law, the White House is backing Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth. The minister had authorized the operation, admitted spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. At the same time, however, she rejected claims that Hegseth had personally ordered a second strike on the same boat.
The background to this are reports by CNN and the "Washington Post" from last week, according to which the US military first attacked a suspected drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean on September 2 with one strike and then killed two surviving men with a second strike. According to experts, the second attack may have violated international law - the men had been clinging to the smouldering wreck and posed no immediate threat, according to the Washington Post.
Reports: Hegseth ordered to "kill them all"
Both media reported that Hegseth himself had previously given the order to "kill them all". According to CNN, however, it is unclear whether the minister knew about the survivors before the second attack. According to the Washington Post, the second strike was ordered after the survivors were spotted in order to fulfill Hegseth's order.
For weeks, the US military has been attacking boats carrying alleged drug smugglers in the Caribbean and Pacific. The legal basis of the operations is generally disputed. According to the US government, eleven people were killed in the strike on September 2 - the first known of its kind. In total, around 80 people have been killed since the attacks began.
Hegseth speaks of "fabricated" reports
Hegseth has rejected the accusations in the context of the attacks on September 2. On Platform X, he spoke of "fabricated" media reports aimed at discrediting the US military. President Donald Trump backed his minister. When asked if such an order would be acceptable, the Republican said of Hegseth: "He says he didn't do it, so I don't have to make that decision."
At Monday's White House press briefing, several reporters then persistently pressed spokeswoman Leavitt about who ordered the second strike and whether survivors were deliberately left behind. Leavitt explained that Hegeseth had authorized the admiral in charge to carry out the strikes. She did not say that Hegseth directly ordered the second strike, emphasizing instead that the admiral "acted within his authority and the law."
Democrat calls Hegseth "unqualified"
When asked what law allows the targeted killing of survivors, the spokeswoman explained that the attack was carried out "in self-defense" and "in accordance with the law of armed conflict".
Democratic Senator Mark Kelly expressed his concern. Members of the US military should know the law, he said, and called for an investigation into the incident. However, an "unqualified defense minister" had dismissed important personnel. Hegseth was going around talking about "warrior mentality and killing people", criticized Kelly - that was "not the message that should come from the Secretary of Defense".
