Hegseth’s reported ‘kill everybody’ strike order sparks war crime fears

Published November 30, 2025 5:49pm ET



Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are sounding the alarm about War Secretary Pete Hegseth‘s first drug boat strike after he reportedly ordered the U.S. military to kill two survivors of it.

The Washington Post reported that a Sept. 2 strike on an alleged drug vessel left two survivors clinging to the wrecked boat, leading to Hegseth ordering a follow-up strike and telling a commander to “kill everybody” still alive. The Department of War and Hegseth have denied the story, calling it “fabricated.”

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