 "US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth’s office announced on Tuesday that he will meet with Dominican President Luis Abinader. (File/Reuters)")
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Friday (28 November 2025) defended recent US military operations targeting alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, after media reports claimed American troops had killed survivors of one such missile strike. The reports have fuelled growing concerns over US actions in the region and the possibility of a land campaign in Venezuela to counter drug cartels.
A day earlier, US President Donald Trump said the US would “very soon” intensify efforts to curb Venezuelan drug trafficking “by land.”
Reports allege order to kill all on board
According to The Washington Post and CNN, US troops were given a directive from Hegseth to kill everyone on board suspected narco-vessels. The Post reported that on 2 September, the US military carried out a follow-up strike after spotting two survivors from an initial attack, adding that protocols were later amended to ensure survivors would be rescued. CNN reported that it was unclear whether Hegseth knew survivors were present before the second strike.
Hegseth dismisses allegations as ‘fake news’
Hegseth rejected the reporting as “fake news,” insisting the strikes were designed to stop “lethal drugs”, destroy narco-boats and kill the “narco terrorists who are poisoning the American people.”
“As usual, the fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland,” he said. “As we’ve said from the beginning, and in every statement, these highly effective strikes are specifically intended to be ‘lethal, kinetic strikes.’ The declared intent is to stop lethal drugs, destroy narco-boats, and kill the narco-terrorists who are poisoning the American people. Every trafficker we kill is affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization.”
‘Operations are lawful under US and international law’
Hegseth stressed that US operations in the Caribbean comply with both domestic and international legal frameworks.
“Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict—and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command,” he said. “Our warriors in SOUTHCOM put their lives on the line every day to protect the Homeland from narco-terrorists — and I will ALWAYS have their back.”
Hegseth accuses Biden of ‘coddling terrorists’
Hegseth also targeted former president Joe Biden, accusing his administration of enabling dangerous groups to enter the United States.
“The Biden administration preferred the kid gloves approach, allowing millions of people — including dangerous cartels and unvetted Afghans — to flood our communities with drugs and violence. The Trump administration has sealed the border and gone on offense against narco-terrorists. Biden coddled terrorists, we kill them,” Hegseth said.