TRUMP ‘HE SAID HE DIDN’T DO IT’: Swirling around the debate over whether six lawmakers urging military members to disobey unlawful orders amounts to “sedition,” is an allegation that in the first strike against suspected drug boats coming out of Venezuela in early September, War Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered that two survivors from the initial strike, be taken out with a second missile after they were seen clinging to wreckage in the open sea.
If true, legal experts say it would be a clear violation of the Law of War, which the Pentagon’s own manual — updated in 2023 — says enemy combatants and other persons who are “wounded, sick, or shipwrecked,” shall be ”respected and protected in all circumstances.”
“Such persons are among the categories of persons placed hors de combat; making them the object of attack is strictly prohibited,” the manual states on page 448. “Hegseth gave a spoken directive,” the Washington Post reported over the weekend, citing two people with direct knowledge of the operation. “The order was to kill everybody,” one of them reportedly said.
Hegseth denounced the “fake news” report in a post on X as “fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory,” but did not specifically deny giving an order for a second strike. “These highly effective strikes are specifically intended to be ‘lethal, kinetic strikes,’” he wrote. “Biden coddled terrorists, we kill them.”
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One en route back to Washington, President Donald Trump said Hegseth flatly denied the accusation. “He said he didn’t do it. I believe him 100%,” Trump said. “Pete said he didn’t even know what people were talking about, so we’ll look at it, we’ll look into it.”
“But no, I wouldn’t have wanted that second strike. The first strike was very lethal, it was fine,” Trump said. “I don’t know. I’m gonna find out about it, but Pete said he did not order the death of those two men.”
TRUMP OPPOSED TO FOLLOW-UP STRIKES ON DRUG BOATS AMID HEGSETH SCRUTINY
‘LET’S GET THE FACTS’: The question of whether Hegseth committed a war crime was fodder for debate on the Sunday shows. “Hegseth denies it. We should get to the truth,” said Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) on ABC. “If it was, as the article said, that is a violation of the law of war. When people want to surrender, you don’t kill them, and they have to pose an imminent threat. It’s hard to believe that two people on a raft, trying to survive, would pose an imminent threat.”
“So let’s get the facts,” said Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general. “I don’t think he would be foolish enough to make this decision to say, kill everybody, kill the survivors, because that’s a clear violation of the law of war. So, I’m very suspicious that he would’ve done something like that because it would go against common sense.”
“This rises to the level of a war crime if it’s true,” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) on CBS. “And the questions that we’ve been asking for months are, give us the evidence that the folks on board were really narco traffickers.” Kaine said he has read the administration’s legal justification for the strikes, and called the arguments “shoddy.”
“Because it’s classified, I can’t tell you what’s in it, but I can tell you it was not at all persuasive that these are legal actions,” Kaine said.
“I think it’s very possible there was a war crime committed,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), also on ABC. “Of course, for it to be a war crime, you have to accept the Trump administration’s whole construct here, which is we’re in armed conflict, at war with the drug gangs.”
“If their whole theory is wrong, and I think, you know, the weight of the legal opinion here is that they have concocted this ridiculous legal theory … If that theory is wrong, then it’s plain murder,” Van Hollen said.
MARK KELLY SAYS REPORTED SECOND STRIKE ON SUSPECTED DRUG BOAT SURVIVORS ‘NOT LAWFUL’
BIPARTISAN BLOWBACK: In a rare show of bipartisan unity, the chairpersons and ranking members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees issued separate joint statements expressing deep concern about the report.
“The Committee is aware of recent news reports — and the Department of Defense’s initial response — regarding alleged follow-on strikes on suspected narcotics vessels in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” said Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Jack Reed (D-RI). “The Committee has directed inquiries to the Department, and we will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances.”
On the House side, Reps. Mike Rogers (R-AL) and Adam Smith (D-WA) promised to conduct “rigorous oversight” of the Trump administration’s military operations in the Caribbean.
“We take seriously the reports of follow-on strikes on boats alleged to be ferrying narcotics in the SOUTHCOM region and are taking bipartisan action to gather a full accounting of the operation in question.”
In his X post, Hegseth insisted, “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.”
HEGSETH’S REPORTED ‘KILL EVERYBODY’ STRIKE ORDER SPARKS WAR CRIME FEARS
Good Monday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre.
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NOTE TO READERS: Daily on Defense will be on holiday break beginning the week of Monday, Dec. 22, and continuing through Jan. 1, 2026. We’ll be back in the new year.
HAPPENING TODAY: The House is back in session after the Thanksgiving break, convening at noon today. Among the items on the House to-do list is final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, which is the one bill that typically garners wide bipartisan support.
“We’re on a 64-year streak right now, so a lot of other legislation from other committees tends to get attached to our bill, and then we have some pieces of legislation that have multiple jurisdictions,” Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, told the Washington Examiner.
DEFENSE BILL TOPS HOUSE PRIORITIES IN SPRINT TO DECEMBER RECESS
TRUMP AMPING UP PRESSURE ON MADURO: President Trump’s weekend social media post, in which he cryptically declared “the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela to be closed in its entirety,” appears to be the latest psychological ploy in an effort to spook Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro into packing his bags and fleeing.
Asked if the declaration meant U.S. military action was imminent, Trump told reporters on his plane that he invoked the airspace closure because “we consider Venezuela to be not a very friendly country,” while cautioning, “don’t read anything into it.” Trump also confirmed that he had spoken by phone to Maduro, but revealed nothing about the nature of the conversation. “I don’t want to comment on it,” he said, but added, “the answer is yes,” he did talk to Maduro.
The call, first reported by The New York Times, apparently took place last week and quickly reached an impasse, according to a report in The Miami Herald. The call “carried a blunt message for strongman Nicolas Maduro: You can save yourself and those closest to you, but you must leave the country now,” the newspaper reported, citing “sources familiar with the exchange.”
“Washington demanded that Maduro and his top allies leave Venezuela immediately to allow the restoration of democratic rule, while regime leaders proposed handing political control to the opposition but retaining command of the armed forces,” the report said.
TRUMP‘S STATEMENT THAT AIRSPACE OVER VENEZUELA IS ‘CLOSED’ PAUSES DEPORTATION FLIGHTS FROM US
RUBIO: ‘ADDITIONAL PROGRESS WAS MADE… MUCH WORK REMAINS’: U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner head for Moscow today after a more than four-hour session with Ukrainian counterparts in Miami on Sunday led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“Today was again a very productive and useful session where I think additional progress was made,” Rubio said after the meeting, while cautioning that there is much work remaining to reach an agreement to end the nearly four-year war.
“So much work remains,” Rubio said. “We continue to be realistic about how difficult this is.”
“This is not just about ending the war, which is very important. It is about securing Ukraine’s future, a future that we hope will be more prosperous than it’s ever been,” he said. “We don’t just want to end the war; we also want to help Ukraine be safe forever, so never again will they face another invasion, and equally important, we want them to enter an age of true prosperity. We want the Ukrainian people to emerge from this war not just to rebuild their country, but to build it back in a way that’ll be stronger and more prosperous than it’s ever been.”
Trump told reporters Witkoff will likely meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin sometime this week, but gave no specifics.
Speaking to reporters at the Kremlin last week, Putin noted, “We observe that the American side is, in some respects, taking our position into account,” and said he welcomed the meeting with the U.S. delegation. “We are certainly prepared for this serious discussion.”
UKRAINE’S NAVAL DRONES STRIKE RUSSIAN OIL TANKERS IN THE BLACK SEA OFF THE TURKISH COAST
THE RUNDOWN:
Washington Examiner: Rubio hails ‘very productive’ Ukraine peace talks in Miami, but work remains
Washington Examiner: Defense bill tops House priorities in sprint to December recess
Washington Examiner: Trump opposed to follow-up strikes on drug boats amid Hegseth scrutiny
Washington Examiner: Emails describe DC shooting suspect as withdrawn and manic as US claims he was ‘radicalized’
Washington Examiner: Hegseth’s reported ‘kill everybody’ strike order sparks war crime fears
Washington Examiner: Mark Kelly says reported second strike on suspected drug boat survivors ‘not lawful’
Washington Examiner: Trump‘s statement that airspace over Venezuela is ‘closed’ pauses deportation flights from US
Washington Examiner: DHS reveals Afghan national admitted through Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome arrested for terroristic threat
Washington Examiner: Ukraine’s naval drones strike Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea off the Turkish coast
Washington Examiner: Former Ukrainian ‘co-president’ Yermak says he’s ‘going to the front’ after shock resignation
Washington Examiner: Army Secretary Dan Driscoll goes from Trump’s ‘drone guy’ to top Ukraine-Russia negotiator
Washington Examiner: Trump accused Democrats of sedition. What does that mean?
Washington Examiner: Colombian president claims Trump’s Venezuela fight is ‘about oil’ instead of drugs
Washington Examiner: France announces new military service program to address Russian threat to Europe
Washington Examiner: Russia denies leaking Witkoff call, claims it was meant to undermine negotiations
Washington Examiner: Taiwan announces $40 billion defensive missile system modeled after Israeli ‘Iron Dome’
Washington Examiner: Hugo Gurdon Opinion: Ukraine peace? Not in our time
Washington Examiner: Tom Rogan Opinion: Mark Kelly hasn’t breached military law
Washington Post: Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all
Wall Street Journal: Make Money Not War: Trump’s Real Plan for Peace in Ukraine
Bloomberg: Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump
Bloomberg: Witkoff Discusses Ukraine Plans With Key Putin Aide: Transcript
Wall Street Journal: Russia Gains the Upper Hand in the Drone Battle, Once Ukraine’s Forte
Reuters: Trump’s case against Senator Mark Kelly faces steep hurdles under military law
Washington Post: Hegseth conscripts the Pentagon for Trump’s ‘retribution campaign’
Washington Post: Counterterrorism officials vetted Guard shooting suspect before he entered U.S.
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Boeing Gets $2.47 Billion Contract for 15 More KC-46s
The War Zone: US Army AH-64E Apache’s Counter-Drone Capability Rapidly Matures
AP: Report Says World’s Biggest Arms Producers Increased Revenue by 5.9% Last Year to Record Level
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Space Force Seeks Innovative New Battle Management, C2 Tools
Air & Space Forces Magazine: It’s Time to Double Down on America’s Propulsion Advantage
DefenseScoop: Air Force Tests Logistics of Next-Gen C2 During Huge REFORPAC Exercise
Breaking Defense: Startup Enabled Intelligence Nabs NGA’s $708 Million AI Training Contract
Stars and Stripes: NORAD Launches Santa Tracker for Kids and Families Worldwide for 70th Year
THE CALENDAR:
MONDAY | DECEMBER 1
10 a.m. — German Marshall Fund of the U.S. virtual discussion: “Unlocking Europe’s Defense Potential: The Case for a Common and Innovative Market.” https://www.gmfus.org/event/unlocking-europes-defense-potential
12 p.m. — Council on Foreign Relations virtual discussion: “The State of Play in Ukraine,” with Stephen Sestanovich, CFR senior fellow for Russian and Eurasian studies; Liana Fix, CFR senior fellow for Europe; Thomas Graham, CFR fellow; and Paul Stares, director, CFR Center for Preventive Action https://www.cfr.org/event/virtual-meeting-state-play-ukraine
12 p.m. — Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies virtual discussion: “How Does Russia’s War on Ukraine End?” with former U.K. Ambassador to Afghanistan Laurie Bristow https://sais.jhu.edu/campus-events
12 p.m. Joint Base Andrews, Maryland — White House American Red Cross holiday care package event with first lady Melania Trump; Usha Vance, wife of Vice President J.D. Vance; and military spouses https://us10.list-manage.com/survey
TUESDAY | DECEMBER 2
10 a.m. — Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual discussion: “It’s Time to Invest: Enhancing Current and Future U.S. Air Force Airlift,” with retired Air Force Gen. Duncan McNabb, former commander, U.S. Transportation Command https://afa-org.zoom.us/webinar/register
10 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Brookings Institution discussion: “Strengthening U.S. alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific,” with Michael O’Hanlon, director of research at the Brookings Foreign Policy Program, director, Brookings Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy and Technology and Brookings chair in defense and strategy; Mira Rapp-Hopper, visiting fellow, Brookings Foreign Policy Program and Brookings Center for Asia Policy Studies; Miraya Solis, director, Brookings Center for Asia Policy Studies and senior fellow, Brookings Foreign Policy Center; and Suzanne Maloney, vice president and director, Brookings Foreign Policy Program https://www.brookings.edu/events/strengthening-us-alliances
2 p.m. 2358-C Rayburn — Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe briefing: “The MAX App: Russia’s Pocket-Sized Approach to Mass Surveillance,” with Laura Cunningham, president of the Open Technology Fund; Justin Sherman, founder and CEO of Global Cyber Strategies; and Anastasiya Zhyrmont, policy manager for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at Access Now https://www.youtube.com/live
2 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies event: “Keeping China Grounded: Ensuring Long-Term U.S. Tech Leadership in Low Earth Orbit” https://www.csis.org/events/keeping-china-grounded
WEDNESDAY | DECEMBER 3
9 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Korea Foundation ROK-U.S. Strategic Forum, focusing on “denuclearization, U.S.-Korea bilateral economic relations and regional relations with China, Japan and Russia,” with South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun; former Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, policymaker in residence at the University of Michigan Weiser Diplomacy Center; and former Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, chairman and co-founder, Asia Group, https://www.csis.org/events/rok-us-strategic-forum-2025
10 a.m. — Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual discussion: “The dramatic transformation occurring within the National Reconnaissance Office,” with National Reconnaissance Office Deputy Director Christopher Povak; and Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, explorer chair at the Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/events/maj-gen-chris-povak/
8 p.m. — Jews United for Democracy and Justice virtual discussion: “Israel Update: Trump’s Plan – Breakthrough or Breakdown,” with Aaron David Miller, senior fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; and Madeleine Brand, host of the daily news and culture show “Press Play” https://www.jewsunitedfordemocracy.org/blog/event
THURSDAY | DECEMBER 4
8 a.m. 2425 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Virginia — Association of the U.S. Army event: “The Foundations of Holistic Health and Fitness,” with Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus; and Lt. Gen. Brian Eifler, deputy chief of staff, G-1 at the Army https://www.ausa.org/events/hot-topic/foundations-of-holistic-health-and-fitness
11 a.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE — Heritage Foundation in-person discussion: “A New American Statecraft for Winning the New Cold War,” with Jeff Smith, director, Heritage Asian Studies Center; and Brent Sadler, senior research fellow, Heritage Center for National Security https://www.heritage.org/china/event/new-american-statecraft
11 a.m. — McCain Institute virtual book discussion: “Autocracy Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World,” with author Anne Applebaum, journalist and historian; and Evelyn Farkas, executive director, McCain Institute https://www.mccaininstitute.org/resources/events/authors-insights
12 p.m. — Henry L. Stimson Center Center in-person and virtual discussion: “Enduring Hostility: A Book Talk on Why the U.S. and Iran Remain Adversaries,” with distinguished fellow Barbara Slavin, author Dalia Dassa Kaye, and veteran diplomat Ryan Crocker https://www.stimson.org/event/enduring-hostility-a-book-talk
2 p.m. 1400 L St. NW — Atlantic Council discussion: “Preparing NATO for the Challenges of Tomorrow,” with Italian Air Force Gen. Aurelio Colagrande, deputy supreme allied commander transformation for NATO; and Michael Andersson, head of strategic partnerships and international affairs at Saab, Inc. and board director at the Atlantic Council https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/general-aurelio-colagrande
FRIDAY | DECEMBER 5
10 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: “Hollywood vs. Reality: Nuclear Deterrence in the Age of ‘Dynamite’ and ‘Oppenheimer,” with Adam Lowther, NIDS vice president of research; and Peter Huessy, NIDS senior fellow https://thinkdeterrence.com/events/hollywood-vs-reality-nuclear-deterrence
