Trump rejects claims of ordering strike to kill survivors on Caribbean’s boat
Addressing the claim, Trump cast doubt on its accuracy, saying: "I don't know that that happened." He also defended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, adding: "Pete said that didn't happen. I have great confidence (in him)...Pete said he did not order the death of those two men."
Trump argued there was no justification for an additional attack, noting that the initial strike was "very lethal" and "fine." He added: "We'll look into it."
The disputed allegation, reported by media outlets and denied by US officials, centered on whether a commander instructed forces to carry out a second strike to kill two men who survived the first attack, allegedly in response to a directive attributed to Hegseth to eliminate everyone aboard the targeted vessel.
When asked about broader US operations against drug-smuggling boats, Trump said he had "very little" concern about the campaign. He defended the actions by asserting that each boat is "responsible for killing 25,000 Americans" and added that the volume of narcotics entering the US by sea is now "infinitesimal" compared with previous months.
The incident also drew criticism from lawmakers. US Senator Chris Van Hollen said the actions may amount to a war crime, arguing in an interview that—even under the administration’s assertion that the US is in an "armed conflict" with drug cartels—killing survivors would still be unlawful. He stressed that if this legal justification is unfounded, the act would constitute "plain murder."
The senator further insisted that the defense secretary "should be held accountable" if such orders were given.
Both the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security rejected the accusations, with officials stating that the report’s "entire narrative was false," while the Homeland Security secretary also dismissed the account.
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