As President Donald Trump hosts a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Tuesday, War Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to receive ample attention from the press over his reported authorization of orders to kill narco-terrorists.
Critics have accused Hegseth of committing “war crimes” for giving the order to kill all accused narco-traffickers on a vessel in the Caribbean. The first strike did not kill everyone on board the ship, prompting a subsequent strike that killed the survivors.
Hegseth reportedly ordered the United States military to “kill everybody” aboard in the Sept. 2 strikes, according to a Washington Post report last week. Since then, he has been accused by lawmakers of violating international law.
However, both Hegseth and the White House have been defending the embattled Pentagon chief by laying the responsibility for the orders in question on Navy Adm. Mitch Bradley, who was authorized by Hegseth to conduct the lethal strikes. Bradley was the one who ordered the second strike.
“Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday. “He directed the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat of narco-terrorists to the United States was completely eliminated.”
Hegseth gave the admiral his full support later that day.
“Let’s make one thing crystal clear: Admiral Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support. I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made — on the September 2 mission and all others since,” Hegseth wrote on X. “America is fortunate to have such men protecting us. When this [Department of War] says we have the back of our warriors — we mean it.”
Over the weekend, Trump made a statement that he wouldn’t have called for a second strike, which critics pounced on as evidence of a schism between the White House and the Pentagon. Leavitt’s comments halted rumors that Hegseth was on the outs with the White House.
The Cabinet meeting, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, will be the first time Hegseth faces questions on camera about the strikes since the Washington Post article. All eyes will be watching whether there is any daylight between Trump and his Pentagon chief.
Trump met with his national security team Monday night to discuss operations in Venezuela. No announcements have come out of that meeting yet.
Bradley is expected to provide a classified briefing this week to bipartisan lawmakers who are investigating the strikes. The briefing is anticipated to take place on Thursday.
The Senate and House Armed Services Committee chairmen have already announced inquiries into the allegations of war crimes.
Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, said it would be “helpful” to have Hegseth testify before Congress in the near future.
WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS KEY POINTS OF WASHINGTON POST ACCOUNT OF SECOND STRIKE ON DRUG BOAT
The Trump administration’s recent military moves could also be brought up at a Pentagon press event later Tuesday. The event will be attended by largely right-wing news outlets that signed the new press policy, which prohibits journalists from soliciting information that the government doesn’t authorize. The new press pool is expected to be able to ask questions of Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson during a briefing.