The major questions facing Hegseth over a Caribbean strike
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Good morning. It's Wednesday, December 3rd. I'm Shamita Basu. This is Apple News Today. On today's show, while Trump goes more aggressively after alleged Venezuelan drug boats, a presidential pardon for the former Honduran leader convicted on drug trafficking charges. An escalation on the immigration crackdown as the U.S. pauses all applications from 19 countries. And what happens when surprise relatives show up to claim inheritance? But first, the questions over U.S. strikes in the Caribbean won't go away. Last week, The Washington Post reported that following an initial attack on an alleged drug boat, U.S.
What are the controversies surrounding the U.S. strikes in the Caribbean?
forces struck again at two survivors clinging to the wreckage. Critics have said, if true, it could constitute a war crime. Since that report, lawmakers have announced two congressional inquiries, and the administration's position and tone has shifted markedly. First, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the report as fabricated fake news on Friday. By Monday, Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt read a scripted statement which acknowledged the strike had in fact happened, but she denied that Hegseth gave the order for that second strike, instead naming a Navy admiral.
Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated.
That statement from Levitt prompted some officials in the Defense Department to speak with Post reporters anonymously, saying they were angry that Hegseth hadn't taken more ownership. The Post's original report suggested military officials carried out a second strike to comply with an order from Hegseth to kill everybody on board. At yesterday's televised cabinet meeting, reporters put the issue to Hegseth directly.
I watched that first strike lot. As you can imagine, at the Department of War, we got a lot of things to do. So I didn't stick around for the hour and two hours, whatever, where all the sensitive site exploitation digitally occurs. So I moved on to my next meeting. A couple of hours later, I learned that that commander had made the, which he had the complete authority to do. And by the way, Admiral Bradley made the correct decision to ultimately sink the boat and eliminate the threat.
And Hexeth emphasized that he supported the move.
It was the right call. We have his back and the American people are safer because narco terrorists know you can't bring drugs through the water and eventually on land if necessary. We will eliminate that threat and we're proud to do it.
President Trump's tone also changed. On Sunday, he told reporters he, quote, wouldn't have wanted a second strike. But at the cabinet meeting, he said this.
I want those boats taken out. And if we have to, we'll attack on land also, just like we attack on sea. And there's very little coming in by sea. I think we've knocked out over 90 percent of it. There's very little. And I understand that there's very little. We're saving hundreds of thousands of lives with those pinpoint attacks.
The alleged second strike targeting survivors is now drawing intense bipartisan scrutiny in Congress. Republican Senator Roger Wicker, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, has said that he's seeking audio and video recordings in an effort to get a better understanding of how to proceed with an inquiry. Meanwhile, his Democratic counterpart, Senator Jack Reed, explained why they're seeking this on CNN.
We need information because we have to make a judgment of whether this operation is legal, not just the individual strikes, but the whole operation. And then, of course, the attention is now being focused on one of the strikes and the possibility of criminal activity.
On Thursday, Navy Admiral Bradley heads to Capitol Hill for a closed-door session with lawmakers, where he's expected to face questions on what exactly happened that day.
The White House's increasing focus on Central and South America goes beyond military force.
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