Progressive Power Journalism Let’s see it.. “The Senate Armed Services Committee says it will conduct “vigorous oversight” after a report revealed that Trump’s Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, gave a verbal order to “kill them all” — referring to 2 survivors of a U.S. missile strike on a suspected drug boat.
Killing wounded or surrendering survivors is a war crime under international law — especially when they pose no threat.
Drone footage showed two men alive after the initial U.S. missile strike — until a second strike, allegedly ordered to fulfill Hegseth’s directive, killed them both.
The Pentagon has launched over 20 such strikes since the spring, killing at least 80 people. Officials say the targets are “terror-affiliated traffickers” — but many lawmakers, including Republicans, weren’t told who these people were or what threat they posed.
Hegseth bragged on X that every trafficker killed is tied to a terrorist group — and dismissed criticism as “fake news.”
But even the GOP-led committee now says it’s demanding records and legal justification.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) called the killings a likely war crime: “It may take some time, but Americans will be prosecuted for this.”
Trump’s Defense Department claims this is all legal under “armed conflict” rules — even though there’s no war and no immediate threat.
