Hegseth pushes back on ‘fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory’ stories about lethal strikes

Secretary of Warfare Pete Hegseth wrote on

The assertion got here after studies from shops together with The Washington Submit and CNN claimed that the US army ordered a second assault on a suspected drug ship within the Caribbean on September 2, after the primary assault left two survivors.

The commander overseeing that operation informed colleagues on a safe convention name that the survivors had been reputable targets as a result of they may nonetheless contact different traffickers for assist and ordered the second strike to adjust to a directive from Hegseth that everybody be killed, in accordance with The Washington Post.

“As typical, the pretend information produces extra fabricated, inflammatory and derogatory reporting to discredit our unbelievable warriors combating to guard the homeland,” Hegseth wrote on X on Friday.

TRUMP SAYS US WILL START STOPPING VENEZELAN DRUG TRAFFICKER BY LAND

Video footage shared by President Donald Trump on Reality Social confirmed the suspected drug barrel shortly earlier than it was destroyed on September 2. (@realDonaldTrump by way of Reality Social)

“As now we have mentioned from the start and in each assertion, these extremely efficient strikes are particularly meant as ‘deadly, kinetic strikes’. The acknowledged intent is to cease lethal medicine, destroy narco-boats, and kill the narco-terrorists who’re poisoning the American folks. Each human trafficker we kill is affiliated with a delegated terrorist group,” Hegseth continued.

“The Biden administration favored the ‘frog gloves’ method, permitting hundreds of thousands of individuals – together with harmful cartels and unvetted Afghans – to flood our communities with medicine and violence. The Trump administration has closed the border and cracked down on narco-terrorists. Biden coddled terrorists, we kill them,” he added.

Hegseth additionally mentioned: “Our present operations within the Caribbean are lawful beneath each U.S. and worldwide legislation, with all actions in step with the legislation of armed battle – and authorised by the very best army and civilian legal professionals, each inside and out of doors the chain of command.”

US FORCES KILL THREE NARCO TERRORISTS IN DEADLY EASTERN PACIFIC STRIKE TARGETING DRUG NETWORKS

Secretary of Warfare Pete Hegseth (left) and former President Joe Biden. (Felix Leon/AFP by way of Getty Photographs; Scott Eisen/Getty Photographs)

In a separate publish on his private X account, Hegseth wrote: “We have solely simply began killing narco-terrorists.”

Fox Information Digital has reached out to a Biden spokesperson for remark.

President Donald Trump additionally mentioned Thursday that the US will start stopping suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers “by land” “very quickly.”

“From sending their poison to the US, the place they kill a whole lot of hundreds of individuals a yr – however we’ll maintain that scenario,” Trump mentioned. “We’re already doing lots… It is about 85% stopped by the ocean.”

Secretary of Warfare Pete Hegseth confirmed that the US carried out a lethal assault on a suspected narco-terrorist ship within the Caribbean Sea on October 24, 2025. (Ministry of Warfare)

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The president added: “You’ve got in all probability seen that folks do not wish to ship by sea now, and we’ll cease them by land as nicely. The nation is simpler, however that may begin very quickly.’

Sophia Compton of Fox Information contributed to this report.