Democrats and and their media surrogates have made it abundantly clear that they&#8217;re not going to let go of their chosen narrative surrounding War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Admiral Mitch Bradley, and how many strikes are necessary to neutralize the threat posed by Venezuelan narco-terrorists.
For those who don&#8217;t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week&#8217;s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
A story that should have been on life-support by Sunday morning — published eight days earlier by The Washington Post — somehow still had legs. The initial story cited anonymous sources and described the scene that played out after SEAL Team 6 struck a boat that intelligence had identified as part of a drug-running operation.
According to the WaPo report, Hegseth issued a clear order: &#8220;Kill them all.&#8221; When the first strike left two survivors, the story alleged, a second order was given and another strike followed — this one taking out the remaining individuals on the scene.
What followed was a mad scramble for Democrats and media to take up the torch for those two survivors and give them the most sympathetic makeover possible. They were helpless, Democrats claimed, clinging to the wreckage of their boat and just hoping against hope that they might survive. Targeting unarmed survivors, they claimed, was nothing short of a war crime.
Over the following days, however, new reports added dimension to the story. ABC News anchor Martha Raddatz — who had helped sell the &#8220;helpless survivor&#8221; narrative just days earlier with &#8220;This Week&#8221; host Jonathan Karl — reported that the boat had apparently been disabled but not destroyed by the first strike. In addition, she cited sources who&#8217;d said the operators were in contact with the Judge Advocate General&#8217;s office in real time — and that because they&#8217;d believed the survivors were attempting to contact someone for help and salvage their illicit cargo, they were deemed lawful enemy combatants.
Still, the hosts of the Sunday morning shows brought in a whole new slate of guests, most of whom continued to hawk the war crimes narrative in any market where they believed it would fly.
On &#8220;This Week,&#8221; Rep. Adam Smith raised the question of land strikes in Venezuela, complaining that President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration — the War Department in particular — had not kept him and others in Congress in the loop.
&#8220;They have not kept us informed on this, they did not inform us of these strikes,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rep. Adam Smith tells George Stephanopoulos that he has not been briefed on the possibility of land strikes in Venezuela. Referring to the Department of Defense, he said: “They have not kept us informed on this, they did not inform us of these strikes.” <a href="https://t.co/K7SoJZoCdk">pic.twitter.com/K7SoJZoCdk</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1997701054511632452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Smith also called for the public release of video from the strike in question, claiming that President Donald Trump was trying to avoid doing so.
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Rep. Adam Smith calls for the release of the videos shown to lawmakers of U.S. strikes against one suspected drug boat on Sept. 2. <a href="https://t.co/AtDV1HPtg3">pic.twitter.com/AtDV1HPtg3</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1997698092397645930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Following the release of the Inspector General&#8217;s report — regarding Hegseth&#8217;s use of the Signal messaging app to share information about a strike on Houthi terrorists — Smith also suggested that the War Secretary wasn&#8217;t taking the right approach: &#8220;It&#8217;s perfectly okay to look back at past actions and say, ‘Yeah, I didn&#8217;t do that right.'&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rep. Adam Smith criticizes Sec. Hegseth’s response to the inspector general&#8217;s report on the alleged release of sensitive information on the Signal messaging app.
“It&#8217;s perfectly okay to look back at past actions and say, ‘Yeah, I didn&#8217;t do that right.’” <a href="https://t.co/eIjxnABn3b">pic.twitter.com/eIjxnABn3b</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1997682715890700594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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On CBS News, Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) constructed what was supposed to look like a thought experiment, behind which he hid an attack on Admiral Bradley&#8217;s character.
&#8220;Anyone who has ever worked with Admiral Bradley will tell you that he has a storied career and that he is a man of deep, deep integrity. And frankly, I have no reason to doubt that,” Himes said before pivoting to wonder aloud whether Bradley might compromise that integrity under pressure. “What happens when an apparently good man like Admiral Bradley is placed in a context where he knows that if he countermands an order that he is perhaps uncomfortable with, it is very likely that he will be fired? It’s interesting to think about how a good man in that context maybe does something that if he weren’t in that context he might not do.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
On the alleged Venezuelan drug boat strikes, <a href="https://twitter.com/margbrennan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@margbrennan</a> asked Rep. <a href="https://twitter.com/jahimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jahimes</a> (D-CT) if he has confidence in Admiral Bradley.
“Anyone who has ever worked with Admiral Bradley will tell you that he has a storied career and that he is a man of deep, deep integrity. And frankly, I… <a href="https://t.co/Lv7AhPQYa1">pic.twitter.com/Lv7AhPQYa1</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/1997761860200771693?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Himes also claimed that the people on the boats were likely low-level drug runners, meaning that the cartel bosses were not necessarily feeling the sting.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rep. <a href="https://twitter.com/jahimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jahimes</a> (D-CT) tells <a href="https://twitter.com/margbrennan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@margbrennan</a> he does not believe all the identities of those on the alleged Venezuelan drug boats are known. He says the U.S. strikes are hitting low-level operatives, not high-ranking cartel leaders, leaving the top figures in comfortable villas while… <a href="https://t.co/fec6gEQjI5">pic.twitter.com/fec6gEQjI5</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/1997763814524096587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) used back on &#8220;This Week,&#8221; however.
Democrats &#8220;have such X-ray vision and clairvoyance that they know the intentions of narco-terrorists on boats, yet were so blind to see that they had a President for four years that was operating as a vegetable&#8230; Forgive me if I&#8217;m a little skeptical,&#8221; he declared.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenEricSchmitt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenEricSchmitt</a>: Democrats &#8220;have such X-ray vision and clairvoyance that they know the intentions of narco-terrorists on boats, yet were so blind to see that they had a President for four years that was operating as a vegetable&#8230; Forgive me if I&#8217;m a little skeptical.&#8221; 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/fgyMRbrnel">pic.twitter.com/fgyMRbrnel</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1997687852566737239?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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President Trump And Pete Hegseth Address U.S. Senior Military Leaders At Quantico

Spin Cycle: Media, Democrats Still Mad At Pete Hegseth For Doing His Job

ABC News

CBS News

Donald Trump

Media

Military

NBC News

Pete Hegseth

Politics

Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton suggested Sunday that the Trump administration might soon begin to “murder” Americans.
Moulton, who is running for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts, made the radical claim during an appearance on CNN in which he suggested that the administration’s actions against narcoterrorists in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean may be replicated against Americans.
“The President of the United States and his secretary of Defense are conducting murder on the high seas. They&#8217;re committing murder and Americans should care,” <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/1997768199379505464">said</a> Moulton. “None of us like drug traffickers, but we have laws that say that drug traffickers don&#8217;t get summarily executed, and if it&#8217;s happening off the coast of America with people that we don&#8217;t know, just give it time before Donald Trump starts doing the same kind of thing to people we do know right here at home.”
The administration has declared major drug cartels in South America as terror groups, and positioned roughly 15,000 troops in the Caribbean Sea to combat narcoterrorists trafficking fentanyl and other deadly drugs into the United States. The U.S. military has destroyed roughly two dozen boats and submarines in international waters that the administration said were trafficking illicit drugs.
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Democrats ramped up criticisms of the Trump administration’s war on drugs after a report from The Washington Post last month claimed that War Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a “kill them all” order carried out against survivors of a destroyed drug-running vessel.
Top military officials have contested the report. Adm. Mitch Bradley said in a closed-door hearing in Congress last week that Hegseth never gave such an order. In one September incident that has become the basis for Democratic claims of war crimes, Bradley made the call to send a follow-up strike against a vessel that he deemed was still a threat.
Democrats have pushed to have the classified video of the follow-up strike made public. Sen. Tom Cotton, who has seen the video, appeared on NBC News on Sunday and said he had “no problem” with releasing it as long as doing so does not risk national security.
“I will say that the [Department of War] may have valid concerns about revealing what we know about tactics and techniques that these cartels are using or about our sources or methods,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tom-cotton-has-no-problem-with-releasing-video-of-drug-boat-double-tap">said</a> Cotton. “I would trust Secretary Hegseth and his team to make the decision about whether they can declassify and release the video. But again, there’s nothing remarkable on that video in my opinion.”

Seth Moulton

Dem Congressman Suggests Trump Will ‘Murder’ Americans Like Narcoterrorists

Congress

Department of Defense

Department of War

Drug Cartels

Drugs

Fentanyl

Massachusetts

Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth said a second military strike on a damaged drug boat in September constituted a “war crime” before checking what video evidence or after-action reports show.
Duckworth appeared on CNN on Sunday and accused the Trump administration, particularly War Secretary Pete Hegseth, of committing a war crime in the Caribbean over a report in The Washington Post last month. The senator made the strong accusation before admitting that she has not seen the classified video or military reports on the controversial strike.
Top military officials have denied the Post’s report, and additional reporting from The New York Times undercuts the Post report&#8217;s claim that Hegseth issued a “kill everybody” order.
The Illinois senator suggested that U.S. service members who participate in the “illegal” strikes may be subject to legal accountability in the U.S. or through the International Criminal Court, which the United States is not a party to.
“Everything that they&#8217;ve done has been illegal. It&#8217;s illegal under international law, it&#8217;s illegal under the Geneva Convention, and it certainly is even illegal under domestic law. It was essentially murder with that double-tap strike,” <a href="https://x.com/rcpvideo/status/1997749858468560898">said</a> Duckworth. “It is a war crime. It&#8217;s illegal. However you put it, it&#8217;s all illegal.”
Duckworth said she made her assessment without watching classified video of the strike that has been shown to some lawmakers. Duckworth said that all of her knowledge on the strike has come from “just what’s been available in the media.”
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“I&#8217;ve not seen the actual video. I&#8217;ve requested to be able to see the actual video. I&#8217;ve also actually asked to see the after-action reports from the pilots and the drone operators, as well as the intelligence debrief that all pilots and drone operators conduct after they have completed a mission,” she said.
The Washington Post reported on November 28 that Hegseth ordered the U.S. military to “kill them all” in relation to narcoterrorists who ferry drugs through international waters in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
Adm. Frank Bradley, who oversaw the September operation in question, testified to lawmakers last week that the Post’s account of the strike is inaccurate. Top military officials have denied that Hegseth ever gave such an order, and that Bradley’s official orders, which have been reviewed by some lawmakers, did not include that wording.
Bradley reportedly told lawmakers during his testimony, not delivered publicly because of the sensitivity of the subject, that each of the 11 people on board the vessel had been <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/admiral-told-lawmakers-everyone-alleged-drug-boat-was-list-military-ta-rcna247767">confirmed</a> by intelligence as narcoterrorists. Bradley also said that he authorized the second strike on the vessel and that Hegseth had left soon after the first strike was delivered.

Tammy Duckworth

Tammy Duckworth Calls Double-Tap Strike A ‘War Crime,’ Then Admits She Hasn’t Seen The Video

Tammy Duckworth Calls Double-Tap Strike A ‘War Crime,’ Then Admits She Hasn't Seen The Video

World

GOP Sen. Tom Cotton has no objections to releasing the full video of the U.S. military strike on a drug boat that has become central to Democratic claims of war crimes committed by the Trump administration.
The Arkansas senator appeared on NBC News’ “Meet The Press” on Sunday and defended the actions taken by the U.S. military to curb the flow of fentanyl and other drugs into the United States, specifically striking vehicles used to ferry drugs in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
One incident in September has sparked accusations from Democrats that War Secretary Pete Hegseth committed a war crime after a second military strike was ordered on a drug boat that was not destroyed by an initial missile.
The accusations against Hegseth began after The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/28/hegseth-kill-them-all-survivors-boat-strike/">reported</a> that the War secretary gave an order to “kill them all.” Top military officials have since testified to Congress that no such order was given, and Republican lawmakers who have seen the mission order have said that no such language exists in the order that would direct military personnel to commit war crimes.
Senate Republicans, including Cotton, have also reviewed the footage of the second strike on the drug boat and said that the strike did not constitute a war crime because the vessel, though damaged and capsized, still represented a valid military target and could have been used to call in additional narcoterrorists. Cotton said Sunday that he would have “no problem” releasing the video to the public, though the military may have national security reasons for not wanting the footage public.
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“I personally don&#8217;t have any problem with” releasing the footage, Cotton <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-december-7-2025-n1313135">said</a>. “It&#8217;s not gruesome. I didn&#8217;t find it distressing or disturbing. It looks like any number of dozens of strikes we&#8217;ve seen on Jeeps and pickup trucks in the Middle East over the years.”
“I will say that the department may have valid concerns about revealing what we know about tactics and techniques that these cartels are using or about our sources or methods,” he added. “I would trust Secretary Hegseth and his team to make the decision about whether they can declassify and release the video. But again, there&#8217;s nothing remarkable on that video in my opinion.”
Adm. Mitch Bradley testified to Congress last week, denying that Hegseth gave a “kill them all” order. Bradley said that while Hegseth was present to watch the first strike delivered against the drug boat in September, the War secretary left to attend to other matters. Bradley gave authorization for the second strike after assessing that the vessel was still a threat.
Hegseth’s orders at that point had not <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/even-the-new-york-times-isnt-sold-on-washington-post-hegseth-hit">specified</a> what to do if a drug boat was not completely destroyed in an initial strike, according to reporting from The New York Times.
Democrats have continued to push the story, alleging that Hegseth authorized a war crime and should be held accountable. Lawmakers have also <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/07/second-strike-democratic-lawmakers-demand-transparency-00679899">pushed</a> for release of the video depicting the second strike on the boat and suggested that service members who take part in illegal orders could be formally punished.

Tom Cotton

Tom Cotton Has ‘No Problem’ With Releasing Video Of Drug Boat Double-Tap

Crime

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) called the Inspector General report on the “so-called scandal” surrounding War Secretary Pete Hegseth&#8217;s use of a Signal chat a “nothingburger” on Sunday.
On ABC’s “This Week,” host George Stephanopoulos asked Schmitt about the Signal issue, quoting the Inspector General report.
“Here&#8217;s a quote from the Department of Defense Inspector General report on that release of sensitive information over the Signal app. According to the inspector general, ‘the Secretary sent information identifying the quantity and strike times of manned U.S. aircraft over hostile territory over an unapproved, unsecure network approximately two to four hours before the execution of those strikes. The Secretary&#8217;s actions created a risk to operational security that could have resulted in failed U.S. mission objectives and potential harm to U.S. pilots.’ Isn&#8217;t that a concern?” Stephanopoulos asked.
“I reviewed the IG report, and it&#8217;s a nothingburger. The fact is, there was allegations that this was confidential or classified information. &#8230; It wasn&#8217;t. There was no operational integrity problems,” Schmitt said, going on to note that both operations Rough Rider and Midnight Hammer were “executed flawlessly.”
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“There&#8217;s no confidential or classified information that was disclosed,” the senator added before pivoting to highlight the legitimate scandal from the Biden administration in which former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin underwent an undisclosed medical procedure without notifying the president.
“Literally, we had a Secretary of Defense that wasn&#8217;t on duty, and nobody knew about it. Like, that&#8217;s a real problem. This was a nothingburger, and that&#8217;s what the IG report that I read last week in the SCIF indicated.”
Stephanopoulos pressed further, but Schmitt reiterated that no classified information was disclosed, and that Signal was “approved by the U.S. government for communications” before the &#8220;so-called scandal started.&#8221;
“But I think the bigger issue was, you know, in the previous administration, you had real operational risk, you had a department, you had a Secretary of Defense that was incapacitated in a surgery, and nobody knew about it for days. That&#8217;s a problem,” Schmitt concluded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sen. Eric Schmitt tells George Stephanopoulos that he reviewed the IG&#8217;s report on the alleged release of sensitive information on the Signal messaging app: &#8220;There&#8217;s no confidential or classified information that was disclosed &#8230; This was a nothing burger.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/ZNfL4aWoP6">pic.twitter.com/ZNfL4aWoP6</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1997693761074143538?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The 2024 Republican National Convention

‘A Nothingburger’: Republican Senator Blasts Dem Hypocrisy Over ‘So-Called’ Signal Scandal

Republican Senator Blasts Dem Hypocrisy Over 'So-Called' Signal Scandal, Calling It 'A Nothingburger

Biden Administration

Executive

Lloyd Austin

Signal

Trump Administration

Testifying before Congress on Thursday, Navy Adm. Frank M. Bradley flatly denied that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued a &#8220;kill all&#8221; order for strikes on a vessel carrying alleged drug-smuggling Venezuelan narco-terrorists in the Caribbean in early September, pushing back against accusations of war crimes.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) said that the strikes on September 2 were “entirely lawful and needful and they were exactly what we would expect our military commanders to do.” Cotton added that during a classified briefing with Bradley, he witnessed “two survivors trying to flip a boat” after the first strike and “board it with drugs.”
&#8220;Admiral Bradley was very clear that he was given no such order to give no quarter or kill them all,” Cotton added.
The Washington Post published an anonymously-sourced story on Saturday claiming that things had gone very differently, however.
According to the initial story, a direct order to “kill them all” was attributed to Secretary Hegseth — and the scenario described suggested that two survivors had been clinging to wreckage when a second strike was ordered to ensure that they weren’t left alive.
Democrats and legacy media outlets were only too happy to run with that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/spin-cycle-wapo-hit-piece-targets-pete-hegseth-and-legacy-outlets-fall-in-line" target="_blank" rel="noopener">narrative</a>, and they spent much of the week declaring Hegseth — along with anyone who had been involved in carrying out his order — was likely guilty of war crimes and continued with those questions after viewing video of the second strike on Thursday.
Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) said the second strike on the boat was “one of the most troubling things I&#8217;ve seen in my time in public service. You have two individuals in clear distress, without any means of locomotion with a destroyed vessel, who were killed by the United States.”
&#8220;Now there&#8217;s a whole set of contextual items that the admiral explained. Yes, they were carrying drugs. They were not in the position to continue their mission in any way,” he continued.
&#8220;Based on what I&#8217;ve seen, I am deeply concerned about the legality of the strike,&#8221; Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) told PBS News on Thursday. “I’m deeply concerned about the legality of the entire operation, and it needs a further investigation for a possible war crime.&#8221;
Following the briefings on Thursday, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell demanded that the Washington Post retract their piece.
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“The Washington Post must retract their story which led to this latest hoax against Secretary Hegseth,” he posted. “It’s an insult to the American People &amp; to everyone who wears the uniform of our country.”
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) called the outrage from Democrats “manufactured and disingenuous” after <a href="https://x.com/DanCrenshawTX/status/1996745632287977536">mocking</a> the war crime accusations on social media.
Virginia Kruta contributed to this report.

Adm. Frank Bradley Visits Capitol Hill To Brief Lawmakers On Venezuelan Boat Strike

Admiral Denies ‘Kill All’ Order As Left Spins ‘War Crime’ Narrative

drug boat

narcoterrorists

War Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered another strike against a suspected &#8220;narco-terrorist&#8221; boat on Thursday as he pushes back against &#8220;war crime&#8221; accusations leveled against him by Democratic lawmakers.
The strike killed four men believed to be transporting drugs to the United States in the Eastern Pacific, according to the U.S. Southern Command, which released an unclassified video of the bombing. The U.S. Southern Command said that &#8220;intelligence confirmed&#8221; the boat was carrying &#8220;illicit narcotics.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
On Dec. 4, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in international waters operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and… <a href="https://t.co/pqksvxM3HP">pic.twitter.com/pqksvxM3HP</a>
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/1996726797086457886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Since September, the Trump administration has ordered strikes against at least 23 drug boats, killing 87 suspected drug runners.
Hegseth celebrated the latest strike as Democrats in Congress <a href="https://x.com/SenMarkey/status/1994947098782175486">call</a> for him to face consequences over accusations that he ordered a second missile strike on a suspected drug boat when survivors were in the water. The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/28/hegseth-kill-them-all-survivors-boat-strike/">cited</a> anonymous sources in a report last week that claimed Hegseth gave an order to &#8220;kill them all&#8221; after two men survived the first missile strike.
As Democrats&#8217; criticism of Hegseth continued to mount on Thursday, the War secretary responded to a social media post from Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet, who wrote, &#8220;Every new attack aimed at Pete Hegseth makes me want another narco drug boat blown up and sent to the bottom of the ocean.&#8221;
&#8220;Your wish is our command, Andrew. Just sunk another narco boat,&#8221; Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/PeteHegseth/status/1996757617427824861">replied</a>.
The claims reported in the Washington Post story were refuted by Navy Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley, who told lawmakers on Thursday that Hegseth did not issue a &#8220;kill them all&#8221; after a first strike left two survivors.
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Bradley “was very clear that he was given no such order, to give no quarter or to kill them all,” said Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton. Lawmakers also watched the video of the second strike, which showed &#8220;two shirtless people clinging to the bow of a capsized and inoperable boat, drifting in the water,” according to Washington Democratic Congressman Adam Smith.
“The order was basically: Destroy the drugs, kill the 11 people on the boat,” Smith added.
Cotton argued that the second strike was necessary because the survivors were attempting to salvage the drugs.
“I saw two survivors trying to flip a boatload of drugs down the United States back over so they could stay in the fight, and potentially, given all the context — we heard of other narco-terrorist boats in the area coming to their aid to — recover the cargo and recover those narco-terrorists,” he told reporters after watching video of the follow-up strike.
Hegseth has also faced criticism from some Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who said that the video of the strike showed that the survivors were &#8220;distressed, shipwrecked or incapacitated people.&#8221; Paul also <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5634197-paul-demands-hegseth-testify-boat-strikes/">called</a> on Hegseth to release the video of the strikes for Americans to watch and judge for themselves.
Hegseth said during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that he &#8220;didn&#8217;t personally see survivors&#8221; after watching a live feed of the strike in question as it was carried out.
&#8220;The thing was on fire. It was exploded in fire and smoke. You can’t see it,&#8221; Hegseth said, adding, “This is called the fog of war.”

U.S. Southern Command

U.S. Takes Out More Suspected ‘Narco-Terrorists’ As Hegseth Defends Against ‘War Crime’ Accusations

U.S. Takes Out More Suspected 'Narco-Terrorists' As Hegseth Defends Against 'War Crime' Accusations

drug trafficking

U.S. Military

An unreleased video of a second strike on suspected narco-terrorists appears to support War Secretary Pete Hegseth and the War Department, according to ABC News. The report suggests that a second strike was not only justified, it was necessary to complete the intended mission.
ABC News anchor Martha Raddatz weighed in on the new information from an anonymous source on Wednesday evening, saying that it supported reports of two survivors remaining after a first strike on a suspected drug-running boat in the Caribbean. Where the new intelligence diverged, she reported, was that the suspected narco-terrorists were not simply clinging to the wreckage. The two appeared to be making attempts to salvage their illicit cargo and may have remained in contact with others in their network once their vessel had been disabled.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
ABC’s Martha Raddatz on Wednesday’s ‘World News Tonight’ about drug boat-gate: “And tonight, new information: According to a source familiar with the incident, the two survivors climbed back on to the boat after the initial strike. They were believed to be potentially in… <a href="https://t.co/R5eHFzzDql">pic.twitter.com/R5eHFzzDql</a>
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) <a href="https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1996369433569161520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;And tonight, new information: According to a source familiar with the incident, the two survivors climbed back on to the boat after the initial strike,&#8221; Raddatz told host David Muir on ABC&#8217;s &#8220;World News Tonight.&#8221;
&#8220;They were believed to be potentially in communication with others, and salvaging some of the drugs,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;Because of that, it was determined they were still in the fight and valid targets. A JAG officer was also giving legal advice. So, again, David, that video will be key, and Admiral Bradley will be on the Hill tomorrow behind closed doors.&#8221;
The Washington Post published an anonymously-sourced &#8220;exclusive&#8221; on Saturday claiming that things had gone very differently, however.
According to the initial story, a direct order to “kill them all” was attributed to Secretary Hegseth — and the scenario described suggested that two survivors had been clinging to wreckage when a second strike was ordered to ensure that they weren’t left alive.
Democrats and legacy media outlets were only too happy to run with that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/spin-cycle-wapo-hit-piece-targets-pete-hegseth-and-legacy-outlets-fall-in-line">narrative</a>, and they spent much of the day Sunday declaring Hegseth — along with anyone who had been involved in carrying out his order — was likely guilty of war crimes.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whoopi-goldberg-says-pete-hegseth-set-soldiers-up-to-face-war-crimes-charges">narrative</a> continued into the week as the hosts of ABC’s “The View” not only proclaimed Hegseth guilty of “war crimes,” but insisted that if other military service members were eventually tried for war crimes, it would be because Hegseth’s orders had effectively “set them up.”

President Trump Holds Cabinet Meeting At The White House

New Intel Appears To Support Actions Taken In Second Strike Against Drug Boat

Drug Boat Survivors Were Trying To Salvage Cocaine When Second Strike Was Ordered

narco-terrorism

Washington Post

War Secretary Pete Hegseth likely violated Pentagon regulations when he shared details about an attack on Houthi terrorists in Yemen, the Defense Department Inspector General said in a report provided to members of Congress on Tuesday evening.
The report, as <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/pentagons-signalgate-review-finds-hegseth-violated-defense-department-regulations-d75b9c0a?st=BPaFpG">The Wall Street Journal</a> noted, also stated that Hegseth, as the War Secretary, can declassify any War Department information he chooses — meaning that although regulation states that Hegseth should not have shared sensitive information via the messaging app, Signal, his actions may not rise to the level of a violation of law.
The Inspector General&#8217;s review began in April after the contents of the Signal chat in question were made public by The Atlantic&#8217;s Jeffrey Goldberg, who was accidentally added to the group when his contact information was imported through a phone belonging to United Nations Ambassador <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/so-damn-dangerous-signal-chat-breach-linked-to-automated-suggestion-feature-on-iphone">Mike Waltz</a>, who, at the time, was serving as President Donald Trump&#8217;s National Security Adviser.
According to the report, Hegseth received classified information — from a classified message labeled SECRET/NOFORN — about the planned attack on Houthi terrorists from Gen. Erik Kurilla, the CentCom (U.S. Central Command) commander. He then sent some of that information, albeit without the classified designation, via the Signal chat.
Hegseth has explained that he made a command decision to share that information in the moment with the group in question. The Inspector General confirmed that Hegseth has the authority to declassify War Department information. Any further inquiry may end there.
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Several members of Congress who have already read the report have gone public with their reactions — including Senator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/war-department-reviewing-serious-allegations-against-sen-mark-kelly-after-dem-military-message">Mark Kelly</a> (D-AZ), who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mark-kelly-encourages-active-military-to-question-orders-in-real-time">made headlines</a> in recent weeks when he took part in a video that encouraged members of the United States military to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senator-doubles-down-on-insurrection-video-threatens-military-over-plan-to-go-after-kelly">question orders</a> in real time, insinuating that President Trump or War Secretary Hegseth either had or would give unlawful orders.
&#8220;They very clearly stated he should not be using his cellphone and putting … this kind of information on an unclassified system,&#8221; Kelly said.
Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) pushed back, noting that Democrats had been gunning for Hegseth since before his confirmation hearings and weren&#8217;t likely to stop any time soon.
&#8220;The arc of the story is that it’s just a never ending stream of efforts to undermine Pete Hegseth, right? The whole controversy. So they didn’t get him in the confirmation process? Make a big deal out of this,&#8221; he said, referring to the report as a &#8220;nothing burger before adding, &#8220;So it’s just an ongoing effort. I wouldn’t expect it to end with this, but I think again, the President has faith in Secretary Hegseth. I think he’s doing a great job, and it is what it is.&#8221;
The unclassified full report, which was delayed in part due to the recent government shutdown, is set to be released to the public on Thursday.

Watchdog Group’s Report On SignalGate Delivers Mixed Review On Hegseth’s Actions

classified documents

President Trump stands by War Secretary Pete Hegseth and the drug boat strikes as the Cabinet convenes once again, the administration threatens to withhold tax dollars over illegal commercial driver&#8217;s licenses, and a New Jersey probe into a pro-life pregnancy center winds up in the Supreme Court.
It’s Wednesday, December 3, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251203-member-exclusive?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+Show+Episodes+Carousel">video version</a> can be seen on The Daily Wire:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trump-defends-hegseth-duffys-minnesota-ultimatum-12-3-25/id1576594336?i=1000739476338" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Backs Hegseth In Cabinet Meeting</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1008973 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Cabinet-Meeting-No.-9-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Cabinet-Meeting-No.-9-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Cabinet-Meeting-No.-9-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Cabinet-Meeting-No.-9-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Cabinet-Meeting-No.-9-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Cabinet-Meeting-No.-9.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Topline: President Trump gathered his cabinet Tuesday and defended Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, vowing to continue his strikes against narco-terrorists.
All eyes on Hegseth: The War secretary has come under fire for allegedly ordering airstrikes targeting survivors of a drug smuggling boat that had been destroyed by an initial strike. The White House has rallied around Hegseth, reiterating that these suspected cartel members have been designated as terrorists, and are essentially enemy combatants of the United States. On Tuesday, Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/AndrewKolvet/status/1995921305728942204?s=20">struck</a> a defiant tone, vowing to continue the strikes.
The original reporting on the alleged illegal strike story is now facing a flood of scrutiny. The New York Times published a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/01/us/hegseth-drug-boat-strike-order-venezuela.html">story</a> this week refuting the main allegation against Hegseth — that he specifically ordered a second strike to kill survivors.
The Times cited five anonymous U.S. officials who each said separately that Hegseth did order a strike to kill the drug smugglers, but “his order was not a response to surveillance footage showing that at least two people on the boat survived the first blast,” and he did not address what should be done if there were survivors.
Latest on National Guard Shooting: In one of the cabinet meeting’s more somber moments, Attorney General Pam Bondi honored the life of slain National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom and offered an update on Andrew Wolfe, the guardsmen fighting for his life in the hospital.
&#8220;I was there where when the surgeons came in and [his parents] wanted you to know this — he&#8217;s a miracle, and if everyone in this country can continue to pray for that family. He&#8217;s got a long road ahead of him, but he is a miracle,” <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1995918866606698520?s=20">said</a> Bondi.
The alleged shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, appeared virtually in court on Tuesday from a hospital bed, where he was formally charged with murder and a slew of other crimes. Lakanwal pleaded not guilty to all charges. He’ll be held without bond throughout the trial. Bondi said the Justice Department intends to seek the death penalty.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Minnesota’s Illegal License Loophole</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1008975 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Minnesotas-CDL-Ultimatum-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Minnesotas-CDL-Ultimatum-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Minnesotas-CDL-Ultimatum-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Minnesotas-CDL-Ultimatum-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Minnesotas-CDL-Ultimatum-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Minnesotas-CDL-Ultimatum.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Topline: Minnesota is facing federal pressure after an audit found widespread improper licensing of foreign drivers, underscoring broader immigration-oversight issues.
The Trump administration has presented some pretty jaw-dropping findings and is now taking action. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the federal government will withhold more than $30 million in highway funding from Minnesota.
The state can avoid the penalty if Democratic Governor Tim Walz revokes a large number of commercial driver’s licenses that were issued illegally to drivers whose immigration or residency status did not comply with federal law. Duffy gave Walz 30 days to fix it, or the funding would be withheld.
What Walz thinks: Officials in the Walz administration say they are reviewing this letter from the Department of Transportation, and claim that they take “safety” on their roads “seriously.” 
Step back: Commercial drivers licenses for illegals or people with improper status have been a focus for months now, due to some devastating crashes that have killed Americans. The Daily Wire’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-trucker-with-california-license-accused-of-killing-newlyweds-in-tragic-collision?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Illegal+Immigrant+Trucker+With+California+License+Accused+Of+Killing+Newlyweds+In+Tragic+Collision">Jennie Taer</a> reported that a newlywed couple was tragically killed in a collision allegedly caused by an illegal immigrant truck driver with a California license. The Indian national involved in the crash has been charged with criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment. 
The Department of Transportation has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-trucker-with-california-license-accused-of-killing-newlyweds-in-tragic-collision?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Illegal+Immigrant+Trucker+With+California+License+Accused+Of+Killing+Newlyweds+In+Tragic+Collision">found</a> that California authorities have issued some 17,000 non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses to foreign drivers. The Trump administration is similarly threatening to withhold tens of millions of federal dollars from California. A number of other states, including red states, are being scrutinized over this issue, too.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">SCOTUS Case On Pro-Life Targeting</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1008977 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/SCOTUS-Presses-Platkin-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/SCOTUS-Presses-Platkin-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/SCOTUS-Presses-Platkin-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/SCOTUS-Presses-Platkin-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/SCOTUS-Presses-Platkin-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/SCOTUS-Presses-Platkin.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Topline: The Supreme Court heard <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JysOCj6Dq0g">arguments</a> Tuesday on a case involving a state allegedly “intimidating” and “harassing” a pregnancy center for not conducting abortions. The case, First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, Inc. v. Platkin, could set precedent on states&#8217; ability to similarly target pregnancy centers and pro-life organizations.
Erin Hawley, general counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom and one of the attorneys representing First Choice, spoke to Morning Wire about the case. (The following interview has been edited for clarity.)
Morning Wire: This case stems from New Jersey’s Democrat Attorney General Matt Platkin creating a “strike force” that targeted pregnancy resource centers. He issued a statewide “consumer alert” against them — and then specifically issued a subpoena to First Choice that was extremely intrusive, including asking for donor information. We’ve just heard oral arguments before the Supreme Court. By the line of questioning from the justices, do you have a sense how they appear to be leaning? 
Hawley: I&#8217;ll have to paraphrase an old boss of mine. After arguing, he would say, I would rather be on our side than their side. And I think that&#8217;s definitely true after this oral argument. If you think about some of the questions the justices were asking, Justice Barrett, for example, pointed out the hostility that New Jersey has shown toward pregnancy care centers.
Justice Kagan took a really practical view of the case. She&#8217;s not one that you would maybe expect to be ideologically aligned with First Choice, and yet she made the common sense point, if I receive a subpoena that demands donor names, I don&#8217;t want my name and address and phone number out there. And so she was saying that this is going to chill the First Amendment rights of recipients in sort of a common sense way. It seemed like a majority or certainly several members of the court were really understanding the effect that subpoena had both on First Choice Women&#8217;s Resource Center, as well as its donors.
Morning Wire: That seems pretty promising for First Choice. Were there any particularly surprising moments to you in the arguments — anything you weren’t anticipating? 
Hawley: One kind of highlight of the oral argument was the fact that we had hoped to sort of highlight, but that&#8217;s the fact that the New Jersey attorney general has never said that he received a single complaint against First Choice by anyone. Justice Thomas really leaned into that and asked the New Jersey attorney, why did you investigate First Choice? Did you receive a complaint? Like, did anyone tell you that they didn&#8217;t like them? And the New Jersey attorney general had to answer no. They had received no complaints about First Choice.

MRN_251203_V2

Morning Brief: Trump Backs Hegseth, Minnesota Issues Illegal Licenses, & SCOTUS Takes On Pro-Life Targeting

Morning Brief: Trump Backs Hegseth, MN Illegal License Loophole, And SCOTUS On Pro-Life Targeting

Immigration

Minnesota

Morning Wire

SCOTUS

White House

President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday during a Cabinet meeting that the Pentagon’s lethal strikes on narco-terrorists will soon move from the ocean to land.
Trump said that narco-terrorists are responsible for drugs killing 200,000 Americans annually and announced plans to expand “Operation Southern Spear” from maritime interdictions to land strikes.
“We’re going to start doing those strikes on land too,” the president said. “The land is much easier. It&#8217;s much easier. And we know the routes they take. We know everything about them. We know where they live. We know where bad ones live, and we’re going to start that very soon, too.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Trump says he will begin striking narco-terrorists by land.
&#8220;We&#8217;re going to start doing those strikes on land too. You know, the land is much easier&#8230; we know where the bad ones live.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/Sb7W1DBnEn">pic.twitter.com/Sb7W1DBnEn</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1995936378212008205?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
Any country trafficking illegal narcotics is a possible target, Trump added, mentioning Colombia and Venezuela. 
“Not just Venezuela. Venezuela has been very bad. Venezuela has been really bad in something else, probably worse than most, but a lot of other people do it too,” Trump said. 
Trump said the administration’s efforts have already slashed drug trafficking through maritime routes by more than 90%, crediting naval strikes with saving “hundreds of thousands of lives” and warning narco-terrorist groups that “we’ve only just begun.”
“We&#8217;re saving hundreds of thousands of lives with our pinpoint attacks,” Trump added.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the administration has “only just begun” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-doubles-down-on-authority-to-kill-narco-terrorists-ahead-of-oval-office-meeting?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=White+House+Doubles+Down+On+Authority+%E2%80%98To+Kill%E2%80%99+Narco-Terrorists+Ahead+Of+Oval+Office+Meeting">targeting narco-terrorists</a>, vowing to put traffickers “at the bottom of the ocean” for &#8220;poisoning the American people.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Secretary Pete Hegseth says U.S. has &#8220;only just begun&#8221; sinking narco-terrorist vessels. <a href="https://t.co/UYo7ffvzfF">pic.twitter.com/UYo7ffvzfF</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1995930132155125858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
The United States has been ramping up its military presence in the Caribbean as part of Operation Southern Spear, while continuing strikes on vessels tied to narco-terrorists.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, deployed to the region last month to back the operation, which is disrupting drug trafficking networks. More than 15,000 troops and a dozen warships have reportedly amassed in the region.
More than 80 people have been killed in strikes on alleged drug vessels, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/01/politics/trump-venezuela-meeting">reported CNN.</a>
Trump issued a warning Sunday, declaring Venezuelan airspace effectively off-limits.
“To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115633041089714842">Trump posted</a> to Truth Social.
Despite that warning, both commercial and private aircraft have continued flying through Venezuelan airspace, flight-tracking services show.
The Maduro regime responded, calling the president’s comments a “colonialist threat.”
“No authority outside the Venezuelan institutional framework has the power to interfere with, block, or condition the use of international airspace,” the statement said.
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Trump, who designated Nicolás Maduro as the leader of the Cartel de Los Soles, has been pressuring him to resign and flee the country. Trump confirmed he has spoken with Maduro but did not share the details of what was discussed. 
Pope Leo encouraged the United States against invading Venezuela on Tuesday while speaking to reporters on the papal plane.
“It seems there is the possibility that there be some activity, even an operation to invade Venezuelan territory,” <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/02/americas/pope-leo-us-venezuela-immigrants-western-countries-intl-latam">Leo said</a>. “I truly believe that it is better to look for ways of dialogue, maybe pressure, including economic pressure, but looking another way to change, if that is what they want to do in the United States.”

President Trump Meets With His Cabinet At The White House

Trump Says Pentagon Will Strike Narco-Terrorists On Land During Cabinet Meeting

Trump Says Pentagon Will Begin Striking Narco-Terrorists On Land

Nicolas Maduro

Venezuela

Democrats have hit upon a two-pronged strategy for 2028. 
One of the strategies is to make members of the military truly uncomfortable about following their orders. The Democrats apparently believe that this will somehow create unrest and chaos. I don&#8217;t know how else to explain why Democrats are now suddenly coming out of the woodwork to suggest that a bunch of illegal orders are being issued from the Trump administration that members of the military must now consider.
When Democrats such as Senator Mark Kelly or Senator Elissa Slotkin from Michigan say to soldiers, to airmen, to members of the Navy, “If you guys follow an illegal order, you will be punished,” but then don&#8217;t define “illegal order,” what they are doing is creating a Catch-22 situation.
That’s because if people follow orders, they&#8217;re protected in the moment. But down the road, some Democrat may be elected and declare retroactively that those orders were illegal, members of the military should not have obeyed them, and they could end up court-martialed. 
Thus, it’s a Catch-22 for members of the military. That is why it is so negative. 
All of that is prong number one in the Democratic strategy; a chaos strategy with regard to military orders. 
Prong number two is setting up an entire slate of possible Democratic nominees who appear to be moderate.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2325-war-crime-hegseth-s-narcoterror-missile-strike-draws-fire?elementPosition=7&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
One of the big questions in the aftermath of President Trump winning his second term was: Will Democrats shift over to the Zohran Mamdani Left, or are they going to move toward a more moderate middle? Are they going to jettison much of their culture war baggage or start talking about trans, or are they going to stop talking about trans?: Are they going to up the ante on DEI or move away from DEI?
By all indicators, it appears the Democrats are not being morons. It appears that while people like Zohran Mamdani may be winning in places like New York and deep blue areas, what the Democrats are actually attempting to do is play moderate.
It seems that more and more often, they&#8217;re playing dead on the trans issue. It&#8217;s seemingly disappeared from the Democratic lexicon.
You don&#8217;t hear Democrats talking about “equity” in the same way that they were even a year and a half ago, when this was the be-all, end-all of American politics. 
Even on immigration, Democrats have taken a more moderate middle line. They&#8217;re no longer arguing, along with AOC, that ICE ought to be disbanded.
They&#8217;re not arguing anymore that the police ought to be defunded.
Instead, what they seem to be doing is arguing that President Trump is largely right on the southern border. They say he&#8217;s being overzealous in the prosecution of illegal immigrants who they say have not committed crimes. 
Democrats seem to be — at least in image — turning toward the middle.
That’s part of what is going on with the controversy swirling around Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
To recap, last week, there was a report from The Washington Post. It argued that the White House had, via Hegseth, given a direct order to basically blow away members of narco-trafficking cartels in the water after they were already put out of commission.
Supposedly, Hegseth ordered everyone to be killed, up to and including survivors who were in the water clinging to the wreckage of the burning boat. This raised some fairly significant legal issues because, as it turns out, under the laws of war, under the Geneva Conventions, and under American law, you are not supposed to kill people who are no longer in the fight.
The 1949 Geneva Conventions, ratified by the United States, <a href="https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/gci-1949/article-3">state</a>:
<blockquote>Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat (out of combat) by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction based on race, color, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria. The following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above persons: violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment, and torture …</blockquote>
In other words, you can&#8217;t take somebody as a P.O.W. and shoot them. Under the Geneva Conventions, there is no policy of “We take no prisoners.”
There is the possibility that these people would not be considered hors de combat, depending on the condition of the boat; the boat may have been dead in the water, but at the same time, they could call their narco-trafficking friends. That is one possible defense.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt read <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/karoline-leavitt-says-hegseth-didnt-order-second-strike-on-narco-terrorists-boat">this statement</a>:
<blockquote>President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have made it clear that presidentially-designated narco-terrorist groups are subject to lethal targeting in accordance with the laws of war. With respect to the strikes in question on September 2nd, Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated. </blockquote>
The contention here is that there was a general order given to take out the boat, and that possibly Admiral Bradley is the person who actually gave the order to conduct a second strike, if, in fact, a second strike was conducted.
The New York Times published a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/01/us/hegseth-drug-boat-strike-order-venezuela.html">follow-up piece</a> in which they seemed to admit that Hegseth did not give a general kill order, especially for people who were already hors de combat.
All of this seems like a convenient way of simply providing support to the Democrats who released the video that told members of the military not to obey orders.
This feels ginned up.
It feels as though The Washington Post went ahead and reported a story on extraordinarily thin sourcing to create the possibility of an illegal order that, it turns out, may not have been illegal at all, in order to provide support for the Democratic narrative that this administration is lawless, and that only a moderate military veteran who might be running in 2028 can step into the breach.
This feels like the predicate for a move by the Democratic Party to elevate somebody like Senator Mark Kelly, a former astronaut who tends to portray himself as a moderate, even though he voted with Joe Biden in the Senate almost all of the time.
The Democrats are not going to burn themselves down by openly championing the leftist causes they truly believe in.
They’ll wait until they gain power before they turn on that spigot.

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The Democratic Party’s Two-Pronged 2028 Strategy: Military Chaos, Moderate Messaging

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