August M
According to reporting from Digi24.ro, senior members of Congress from both parties say they are troubled by claims that a top Pentagon official instructed U.S. forces to kill all survivors aboard a suspected drug-smuggling vessel
Democratic Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Kelly, as well as Republican Congressman Mike Turner, told U.S. networks that the reported order — if verified — could violate both Pentagon rules and international humanitarian law, Digi24.ro reported.
Kaine said on CBS that “if this information is true, it is a clear violation” of wartime legal standards.
Kelly told CNN that the alleged instruction “apparently” amounted to a war crime. Turner echoed those concerns, calling the claim “very serious.”
The remarks came after The Washington Post reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly directed forces to kill all crew members on a vessel targeted on 2 September.
Congressional oversight
The September raid marked the first strike in a broader U.S. operation targeting suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
Digi24.ro noted that both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees — controlled by Republicans — have pledged to investigate, an unusual break from the White House.
White House response
President Donald Trump defended Hegseth, telling reporters he has “high confidence” in him and believes the defense secretary’s denial “100 percent,” according to Digi24.ro’s summary of U.S. media coverage.
Trump said Hegseth told him “he didn’t say that,” while the president added: “I wouldn’t have wanted that. Not a second strike.” He insisted the military was performing “an amazing job” in reducing drug shipments.
Hegseth, writing on X, argued that the maritime operations were “legal” and described the strikes as “lethal, kinetic,”
Expanding military posture
The Trump administration has framed the campaign as part of a “non-international armed conflict” with drug traffickers.
Digi24.ro reported that the operations have killed more than 80 people and coincided with a significant U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean.
American media also noted that eight U.S. warships, F-35 jets in Puerto Rico and a major aircraft carrier have been deployed, intensifying speculation over Washington’s posture toward Venezuela.
Sources: Digi24.ro, The Washington Post
