Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday that the Trump administration would not release the &#8220;top-secret&#8221; video of the September 2 drug boat strikes to the public as the administration&#8217;s approval of a second strike continues to face scrutiny.
Hegseth spoke to reporters after he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave senators a classified, closed-door briefing and said that the &#8220;full unedited&#8221; video would only be shown to lawmakers on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees on Wednesday.
&#8220;In keeping with longstanding Department of War policy, Department of Defense policy, of course we&#8217;re not going to release a top-secret full unedited video of that to the general public,&#8221; Hegseth said.
Multiple lawmakers have called on Hegseth to release the full video showing the second strike on a suspected drug boat that was taken out by U.S. forces on September 2. Some Democrats have claimed that the U.S. military&#8217;s decision to order a second strike after survivors were spotted in the water constitutes a &#8220;war crime.&#8221;
The strikes on the suspected drug boat in September killed 11 &#8220;narcoterrorists&#8221; who were transporting drugs that the Trump administration believed would have ultimately landed on American shores. The second strike was ordered by Admiral Frank Bradley, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. Bradley is also set to brief lawmakers on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees on Wednesday.
Hegseth praised Bradley on Tuesday, saying he has &#8220;done a fantastic job, has made all the right calls.&#8221;
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President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-changes-tune-on-releasing-video-of-second-strike-on-suspected-drug-boat">said</a> earlier this month that he had &#8220;no problem&#8221; with the War Department releasing &#8220;whatever&#8221; it had, but last week, Trump walked back that comment and said, “Whatever Pete Hegseth wants to do is okay with me.”
Shortly after the strike, the Trump administration released a 29-second clip of the operation targeting a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean, but the clip made public by the War Department does not show the second strike, raising questions of why a second strike was necessary.
Some lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, have already seen video of the second strike. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) said he would not have “any problem” with releasing the footage to the public, but added that the War Department could want to keep it classified since the information could reveal too much to drug cartels about how the U.S. military is conducting the strikes.
“It’s not gruesome. I didn’t find it distressing or disturbing,&#8221; Cotton said. &#8220;It looks like any number of dozens of strikes we’ve seen on Jeeps and pickup trucks in the Middle East over the years.&#8221;
House Democrat Adam Smith, who also saw the video of the second strike, called it “deeply disturbing.”
Nearly 100 suspected drug-runners have been killed in at least 25 strikes ordered by the Trump administration in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean since September. The most recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-strikes-3-more-suspected-drug-boats-takes-out-8-narco-terrorists?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=U.S.+Strikes+3+More+Suspected+Drug+Boats%2C+Takes+Out+8+%E2%80%98Narco-Terrorists%E2%80%99">strike</a> on Monday killed eight men and took out three boats that the U.S. officials said were “engaged in narco-trafficking.”

Pete Hegseth

War Department Will Not Release Full ‘Top-Secret’ Video Of September Drug Boat Strike, Hegseth Says

Crime

Department of War

Donald Trump

drug trafficking

Politics

U.S. Military

The United States Military on Monday took out three more boats in the Eastern Pacific determined to be “engaged in narco-trafficking,” officials said. 
The strikes killed eight men that authorities said were members of Designated Terrorist Organizations. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who is expected to brief lawmakers on Tuesday about the Trump administration’s drug boat strikes, authorized the attack. 
“On Dec. 15, at the direction of [Secretary of War] Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters,” U.S. Southern Command posted on X, alongside a video of the strikes. “Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking. A total of eight male narco-terrorists were killed during these actions—three in the first vessel, two in the second and three in the third.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
On Dec. 15, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known… <a href="https://t.co/IQfCVvUpau">pic.twitter.com/IQfCVvUpau</a>
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2000756230252314901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Since September, the military has <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-hits-3-more-alleged-drug-boats-in-pacific-killing-8-military-says/">carried</a> out strikes on 25 boats, killing around 95 suspected drug traffickers. In a memo to Congress in October, President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-congress-u-s-in-armed-conflict-with-terrorist-drug-cartels">wrote</a> that he “determined” that the United States is in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels that he has designated as terrorist organizations. Violent gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS-13 have been <a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels">designated</a> as foreign terrorist organizations by the State Department. 
Democrat lawmakers have criticized the strikes, arguing that the Trump administration has not provided enough evidence to justify the attacks. Last week, Admiral Frank Bradley was questioned by the Senate Intelligence Committee about a second strike carried out on survivors of an earlier strike that had already destroyed a vessel operated by alleged members of Tren de Aragua.
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Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK) said after the briefing that the strikes were “entirely lawful and needful.”
&#8220;These are narco-terrorists, Foreign Designated Terrorist Organizations, who are bringing drugs to our shores that have killed millions of Americans and thousands of Arkansans,&#8221; Cotton told reporters. “It&#8217;s my expectation and my deep hope that these strikes will continue.&#8221;
Last week, the House passed the annual National Defense Authorization Act with a provision that would force Hegseth to turn over footage of strikes on suspected drug boats or face cuts to his travel budget. Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are scheduled to meet with lawmakers on Tuesday to discuss the strikes and the American strategy with Venezuela.

MixCollage-16-Dec-2025-07-14-AM-7646

U.S. Strikes 3 More Suspected Drug Boats, Takes Out 8 ‘Narco-Terrorists’

drug boat

Military

Pacific Ocean

Two American soldiers who were killed by a member of the Syrian security forces on Saturday were identified as Iowa National Guardsmen Nate Howard and Edgar Torres.
Howard&#8217;s stepfather, the chief of the Meskwaki Nation Police Department in Iowa, revealed on Saturday night that Howard was one of the soldiers killed when a terrorist believed to have been affiliated with ISIS ambushed U.S. and Syrian troops who were meeting together in the Syrian desert. The gunman also killed Torres and American interpreter Ayad Sakat.
&#8220;My wife Misty and I had that visit from Army Commanders you never want to have. Our son Nate was one of the Soldiers that paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us, to keep us all safer,&#8221; Chief Jeffrey Bunn <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MeskwakiPD/posts/pfbid0R214oWppns4jJKemUmotn6tuf4cQAUe9kZ6X6tgTcZBWtEj8rrtjRbXv5jTTiyncl?rdid=dRE9E1jYYNafIxUD#">said</a>. &#8220;He loved what he was doing and would be the first in and last out, no one left behind.&#8221;
&#8220;Nate was a loving husband to his wife Arianna Howard, a great son, an amazing man of faith and is with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Heaven,&#8221; Bunn added. &#8220;Nate was also a big brother to Staff Sgt James Roelsgard, also deployed through the Iowa National Guard. His little brother will be escorting Nate home. His other Soldiers and the Interpreter were heroes doing what they loved for our Country.&#8221;
Torres was <a href="https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/2-iowa-national-guard-soldiers-killed-syria-attack-loved-ones-friends-remember/524-d3ad46ad-d715-4160-943c-b3ab1efe203c?_ga=2.192374562.928628011.1765810290-1205996525.1765810290">described</a> by his fellow soldiers as a family man and a &#8220;very positive soldier.&#8221; The Iowa National Guard troops were &#8220;conducting a key leader engagement as part of their assigned mission in the ongoing counter-ISIS and counter-terrorism efforts in the region,&#8221; <a href="https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2025-12-13/two-iowa-guard-soldiers-killed-attack-syria-three-others-wounded">according</a> to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.
“Our hearts are heavy today, and our prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of our soldiers killed in action,” Reynolds said.
The attacker clashed with security guards and then opened fire after making his way into a building where American and Syrian troops were eating lunch. The gunman, who has not been identified, was killed by return fire. Syrian officials said that the attacker was a member of the Syrian security forces, but he was about to be dismissed over his &#8220;extremist&#8221; views, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/14/world/middleeast/syria-isis-attack.html">reported</a>.
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Syria&#8217;s government is led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, who once led a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, but is now working with U.S. forces to establish control over the country and push out ISIS. The man who killed U.S. troops on Saturday joined the Syrian security forces as a security guard earlier this year, but was transferred to a different unit two months ago over suspicions that he was leaking information to ISIS, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-islamic-state-attack-security-forces-cc45fd7a00c06f8c1426ac589753f961">Associated Press</a>. The gunman was slated to be officially dismissed from his position in the Syrian security forces on Sunday, just one day after he opened fire on American soldiers.
President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-promises-to-retaliate-after-u-s-troops-killed-by-isis-in-syria">said</a> on Saturday that the shooting &#8220;was an ISIS attack against the U.S.&#8221; and vowed to retaliate.
“We mourn the loss of three great patriots in Syria — you know how it happened, an ambush,” Trump said. “Terrible. We still have three wounded that seem to be doing pretty well. But we mourn the loss, these are great — these are three great people, and just a terrible thing.”
“Syria, by the way, was fighting along with us. The president, the new president of Syria, as they told me … is devastated by what happened. This was an ISIS attack on us and Syria,” he added. “We pray for them, and their parents, and their loved ones, very, very sad … and we WILL retaliate.”
Trump met with Syria&#8217;s president in the Oval Office last month for a discussion that focused on rebuilding Syria and keeping terrorists at bay following the downfall of Bashar al-Assad. Trump&#8217;s meeting with al-Sharaa sparked controversy since the Syrian president once led a terrorist organization and had been on the U.S. terror watch list.

Nate Howard

U.S. Soldiers Killed In Syria Identified As Family Man And ‘Amazing Man Of Faith’

Family Man And 'Amazing Man Of Faith' Identified As U.S. Troops Killed In Syria

Syria

Terrorism

Terrorists

The United States has seized a very large <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/venezuela-cries-international-piracy-after-u-s-seizes-oil-tanker?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=9&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Venezuela+Cries+%E2%80%98International+Piracy%E2%80%99+After+U.S.+Seizes+Oil+Tanker">oil tanker</a> off the Venezuelan coast.
President Trump confirmed that the United States had pursued the seizure. According to Attorney General Pam Bondi, it was headed to Cuba.
There’s been talk about establishing a no-fly zone around Venezuela. All of this is external pressure, presumably designed to force the possibility of a regime change in Venezuela without any serious threat to American troops going in on the ground.
In <a href="https://x.com/DHSgov/status/1998909254854746523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1998909254854746523%7Ctwgr%5E8f093637fc0050e48ee90200825bb3534d8c39c8%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fvenezuela-cries-international-piracy-after-u-s-seizes-oil-tanker">a video</a>, you can see an American helicopter hovering over a gigantic oil tanker as soldiers begin rappelling down onto the deck. The soldiers, with guns drawn, move toward the control booth, presumably to stop the tanker from moving toward its target.
The United States military is unparalleled at what it does and does not play around.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
KNOCKOUT.
If you threaten our nation, or break the law, there is no place on land or sea where we won’t find you.
Thank you to the brave service members from <a href="https://twitter.com/USCG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USCG</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/ICEgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ICEGOV</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/FBI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBI</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofWar</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheJusticeDept</a>. <a href="https://t.co/KUCRjES267">pic.twitter.com/KUCRjES267</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1998909254854746523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
President Trump has always been clear in his belief that if the United States is engaged in armed conflict somewhere, we should keep the spoils that we reap. He said that about the Iraq War, suggesting that if you&#8217;re going to go to war, then you may as well take the oil as some form of compensation.
When it comes to the Venezuelan government shipping oil over to Iran in violation of sanctions or allowing the Iranians to combine their oil with Venezuelan oil and ship that elsewhere and ship the money back to Iran, keeping the spoils would be worthwhile.
If it turns out that the United States is now prepared to interdict all oil that may or may not be headed for Iran or from Iran, then this could absolutely cripple the Venezuelan economy even more than it has suffered before.
Venezuela’s economy is highly dependent on oil, mainly through its impact on exports and government revenue. Oil accounts for over 80 to 90% of all total export earnings in recent years. So if that were to shut down, whatever is left of the Venezuelan economy would basically collapse. That seems to be something that the United States is pursuing at this point.
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Trump has also made clear he is going to put pressure on Gustavo Petro, the president of Colombia, which has historically been a relatively conservative state. But Petro, a far-left socialist, is more oriented toward China and Iran.
President Trump was asked about Petro describing the seizure as “barbarian.”
“He&#8217;s been fairly hostile to the United States. I haven&#8217;t given him a lot of thought,” Trump replied. “And he’s going to have himself some big problems if he doesn&#8217;t wise up. Colombia is producing a lot of drugs. &#8230; He better wise up or he&#8217;ll be next.”
The United States could put pressure on the Petro regime in Colombia. The next scheduled election for president in Colombia happens in May of 2026. So there&#8217;s every possibility that Petro could be in trouble as well.
All of this seems to be part of a broader national security strategy pursued by the White House. According to the new national security document, the foreign influence of China, Iran, or Russia in the Western hemisphere has to stop.
The national security strategy of the United States is very much a muscular Monroe Doctrine, suggesting that the Western hemisphere be cleared of outside influence.
It’s about time.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

U.S. Seizes Venezuelan Tanker. The Trump Doctrine Is Working.

Ben Shapiro

Colombia

Gulf of America

Iran

Opinion

President Trump

Venezuela

President Donald Trump denied on Monday that he ever supported releasing video of the second strike on a suspected drug boat as controversy continues to swirl around the U.S. military&#8217;s actions in the Caribbean in early September.
Trump said last Wednesday that &#8220;whatever&#8221; Secretary Pete Hegseth&#8217;s War Department had, &#8220;we&#8217;d certainly release, no problem.&#8221; On Monday, however, the president told reporters at the White House that he never agreed to make the full video of the second strike public.
&#8220;Mr. President, you said you would have &#8216;no problem&#8217; with releasing the full video of that strike on September 2 off the coast of Venezuela,&#8221; one reporter stated.
&#8220;I didn&#8217;t say that,&#8221; the president <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-boat-strike-video-walks-back-hegseth/">replied</a>. &#8220;You said that, I didn&#8217;t say that.&#8221;
Trump added, &#8220;Whatever Pete Hegseth wants to do is okay with me.&#8221;
Hegseth has come under fire from Democrats and some Republicans after the &#8220;double-tap&#8221; strike on a boat that the Trump administration said was trafficking illicit drugs to the United States. The administration released a 29-second unclassified video showing the first strike on September 2, but the full video of the follow-up strike has been shown to only a select few lawmakers.
Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are scheduled to meet with top intelligence committee lawmakers on Tuesday behind closed doors. The Trump officials will likely be asked more questions about the &#8220;double-tap&#8221; strike during the meeting.
Trump <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/09/donald-trump-full-interview-transcript-00681693">told</a> POLITICO in a wide-ranging interview released on Tuesday that he watched the footage of the second strike and continues to give Hegseth his full confidence.
&#8220;He&#8217;s doing a great job,&#8221; Trump said, adding that he doesn&#8217;t care if Hegseth testifies under oath about the strike.
The president said that the footage was &#8220;not pretty,&#8221; but added, &#8220;It looked like they were trying to turn back over the boat, but I don’t get involved in that.&#8221;
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tom-cotton-has-no-problem-with-releasing-video-of-drug-boat-double-tap">said</a> on Sunday that he watched the footage of the second strike, adding that he would not have &#8220;any problem&#8221; with releasing the footage to the public.
&#8220;It’s not gruesome. I didn’t find it distressing or disturbing. It looks like any number of dozens of strikes we’ve seen on Jeeps and pickup trucks in the Middle East over the years,&#8221; Cotton said. He added that he would understand if the War Department had concerns about releasing the footage, since it could reveal too much to drug cartels about how the U.S. military is conducting the strikes.
Democrats who saw the footage are calling on the administration to release the video. Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, said the footage of the second strike was &#8220;deeply disturbing.&#8221;
“There were two survivors on an overturned boat. When they were finally taken out, they weren’t trying to flip the boat over. The boat was clearly incapacitated,&#8221; Smith <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/07/second-strike-democratic-lawmakers-demand-transparency-00679899?_bhlid=01d8baf7452cb3bc38c5bae3f2719ade9b962fbd">said</a>. &#8220;A tiny portion of it remained capsized, the bow of the boat. They had no communications device. Certainly they were unarmed.”
“Any claim that the drugs had somehow survived that attack is hard to really square with what we saw,&#8221; he added. &#8220;So it was deeply disturbing. It did not appear that these two survivors were in any position to continue the fight.”
When asked if the War Department would release the additional footage, Hegseth <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hegseth-wont-commit-to-releasing-video-second-strike-alleged-drug-boat/">said</a> over the weekend that the administration is currently &#8220;reviewing the process,&#8221; and did not commit to releasing the full video.
&#8220;Whatever we were to decide to release, we&#8217;d have to be very responsible about reviewing that right now,&#8221; Hegseth added.
After Trump ramped up border security upon returning to office, he moved his attention to preventing drugs from reaching American shores. The strikes on the suspected &#8220;narcoterrorists,&#8221; which began in September, have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-takes-out-more-suspected-narco-terrorists-as-hegseth-defends-against-war-crime-accusations?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=U.S.+Takes+Out+More+Suspected+%E2%80%98Narco-Terrorists%E2%80%99+As+Hegseth+Defends+Against+%E2%80%98War+Crime%E2%80%99+Accusations">taken out</a> 23 boats and 87 suspected drug runners.

Trump Changes Tune On Releasing Video Of Second Strike On Suspected Drug Boat

Trump Administration

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>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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

Sports journalist Stephen A. Smith, a Democrat who nonetheless sometimes espouses perspectives at odds with the Democratic Party, <a href="https://grabien.com/story?id=558294&amp;utm_source=cliplist&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=cliplist20251127&amp;utm_content=story558294">slammed</a> Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) for participating in a video calling for military servicemembers to defy unlawful orders from their superiors.
Last week, a group of six Democrats, comprised of two senators and four members of the House, released an incendiary video in which they encouraged members of the military and intelligence community to disobey illegal orders they receive from the Trump administration.
Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), along with Reps. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Jason Crow (D-CO), all former members of the military, encouraged military members to “refuse illegal orders.”
“The administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens,” the Democrat lawmakers claimed. “Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, right now.”
The Democrats accused the Trump administration of disrespecting constitutional guardrails, continuing, “The threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.”
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“Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders,” they pronounced, reiterating, “You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.”
Smith targeted Kelly, saying, “Respectfully, senator, what the hell are you doing looking into the camera and telling military men and women to ignore the commander-in-chief? How dare you? How dare you do that? That’s right, I&#8217;m calling it out.”
“I never served in the military,” he continued. “That&#8217;s true. I have family members who did. Some of my best friends have, Marines, Air Force, Navy, Army. I haven’t heard one of them, not one of them, say that was okay. How dare you do that?”
“Is it treason? No. Is it punishable by death? It shouldn&#8217;t be,” he said, in an apparent reference to President Donald Trump’s response to the video. “So the answer is no. But you know better, Senator Kelly. You know better! How dare you do that?! What are you supposed to do? You are a ranking senator. You could go to the Senate, you could go to the House, you could put up — draw up paperwork, you could try to start articles of impeachment if you think there&#8217;s something illegal.”
“I mean, damn, it ain&#8217;t like y&#8217;all haven’t done it before,” he pointed out. “You impeached the man twice. Where did that get you? Guy is behind, back in the White House. Had you left him alone in 2016 and 2020, maybe he wouldn&#8217;t be back terrorizing the Democratic Party the way that he is. But you did it! You did it! And here you are again with this nonsense. How dare you do that? I’m not a military person, and I know better than that! You don&#8217;t tell military men and women to ignore an order from the commander-in-chief. You don&#8217;t do that.”

MixCollage-27-Nov-2025-09-46-AM-5838

Stephen A. Smith Blasts Mark Kelly For Video Urging Troops To ‘Refuse Illegal Orders’

Mark Kelly

Media

Stephen A. Smith

War Secretary Pete Hegseth is reportedly preparing to sever the military’s century-old partnership with the organization once known proudly as the Boy Scouts.
According to draft memos <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/11/25/nx-s1-5615164/pentagon-scouting-hegseth-cut-ties">reviewed by NPR</a>, Hegseth argues that Scouting America — after years of surrendering to leftist ideology — has abandoned the very mission that made it one of the nation’s most respected training grounds for leadership, character, and masculine virtue.
The Boy Scouts were once endorsed by Theodore Roosevelt and long served as a natural bridge to the military. The Pentagon formally backed the organization beginning in 1937, supplying trucks, doctors, medics, logistical support, and even aviation demonstrations at the National Jamboree. For the military, it doubled as a valuable recruiting channel: Eagle Scouts routinely entered at higher ranks, and about 20% of service-academy cadets came from scouting backgrounds.
But Hegseth says that era is over. According to Hegseth, the leaked documents indicate that Scouting America has become “genderless,” promotes “gender confusion,” and now devotes itself to DEI initiatives rather than merit and accountability. The group’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boy-scouts-now-officially-scouting-america-champion-dei-principles?utm_source=chatgpt.com">rebranding</a> — from “Boy Scouts” to “Scouts BSA” in 2018, and now to “Scouting America” in 2025 — symbolizes, in Hegseth’s view, an institution hollowed out by the same ideological forces transforming much of American civic life.
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“Drafts of a report to Congress obtained by NPR show Hegseth invoking that clause — accusing Scouting America of fostering ‘gender confusion,’” NPR reported. “His memo to the House and Senate Armed Services committees argues the Scouts have strayed from their mission to ‘cultivate masculine values.’ It also claims that with international conflicts and a tight budget, sending troops, doctors, and vehicles to a 10-day youth event would harm national security by diverting resources from border operations and protecting U.S. territory.”
Scouting America’s leadership responded with disappointment, insisting the group remains nonpartisan, rooted in duty to God and country, and committed to building ethical leaders. But their assurances ring hollow after years of DEI programming.
“In 2020, Scouting America added a new requirement for scouts working to achieve the group’s highest rank, Eagle Scout: A ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ badge, later renamed the ‘Citizenship in Society’ badge,’” <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/pete-hegseth-boy-scouts-scouting-usa-congress">Vanity Fair</a> noted.
For many conservatives, Hegseth’s move is not an attack on American tradition —  it’s an overdue acknowledgment that the institution once called the Boy Scouts no longer resembles what it was.
As the cultural Left remakes legacy organizations in its own image, Hegseth is signaling that the U.S. military will no longer subsidize the transformation.

2025 San Francisco Pride Parade

U.S. Military’s Alliance With Boy Scouts Could Collapse As Hegseth Calls Out DEI Overreach

Boy Scouts

President Donald Trump was busy on Sunday night sharing numerous social media posts — many from anonymous accounts — that accused six Democratic lawmakers of sedition over their calls for military members to disobey &#8220;illegal orders.&#8221;
After two Democratic senators and four representatives appeared in a video <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-urge-military-to-disobey-orders-from-trump-admin-trigger-accusations-of-insurrection">urging</a> military members to refuse unlawful orders, Trump suggested that their action could be viewed as &#8220;SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!&#8221; Trump later clarified that he was not calling for the Democrats to face the death penalty, saying, “In the old days, if you said a thing like that, that was punishable by death.”
Trump, however, appears to believe that the Democrats should be punished in some form. On Sunday night, he shared an AI-generated video depicting the six Democrats in <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601863709910309">prison</a>. In another <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601898049338376">post</a> shared by Trump, an anonymous social media user argues that the Democrats&#8217; plea is the &#8220;literal definition of sedition and they literally put it on video!!!!&#8221;
The president also <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601867440120506">shared</a> multiple posts that argued that the Democrats are guilty of violating <a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section2387&amp;num=0&amp;edition=prelim">18 USC 2387</a>, which makes it a crime to &#8220;interfere with, impair, or influence the loyalty, morale, or discipline of the military or naval forces of the United States.&#8221; Those who violate the U.S. code face up to ten years in prison. Trump shared yet another post that <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601883571083274">called</a> for bypassing the &#8220;corrupted&#8221; justice system by holding military tribunals.
The video that caused an uproar and resulted in accusations of treason was made by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO). In the video, the Democrats accuse the Trump administration of &#8220;pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.&#8221;
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“Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders,” they said in the video, adding, “You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.”
Another <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601862810818001">post</a> shared by Trump on Sunday night suggests that Slotkin is using her training and knowledge from working at the CIA to &#8220;invoke a rebellion.&#8221; Slotkin, who worked for the CIA and the then-Defense Department in the early 2000s, defended the Democrats&#8217; video, arguing that it is lawful to disobey illegal orders and that the Founding Fathers wanted &#8220;to ensure our military upholds its oath to the Constitution — not a king.&#8221;
On Sunday, Slotkin was asked by &#8220;This Week&#8221; host Martha Raddatz on ABC whether any of Trump&#8217;s orders have been unlawful.
&#8220;To my knowledge, I am not aware of things that are illegal, but certainly, there are some legal gymnastics going on with these Caribbean strikes and everything related to Venezuela,&#8221; Slotkin <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/week-transcript-11-23-25-sen-elissa-slotkin/story?id=127763059">said</a>.
She added that she is also concerned about &#8220;the use of U.S. military on American shores &#8230; in our cities and in our streets.&#8221;
Another post <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115600871102876776">shared</a> by Trump came from one social media user, who stated, &#8220;Get all of those traitorous sons of b*tches for sedition at the very least. Those pompous traitorous communities should be impeached and prosecuted.&#8221;

Trump Amplifies Claims That Dem Lawmakers Committed Sedition Against America

Congress

Democrats

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Social Media

The Department of War <a href="https://x.com/DeptofWar/status/1992999267967905905">initiated</a> a review of &#8220;serious allegations&#8221; against Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly on Monday after he joined five other Democrats in urging U.S. military members to disobey &#8220;illegal orders.&#8221;
The War Department said the review will determine whether Kelly, a U.S. Navy combat veteran and retired astronaut, should be recalled to active duty for &#8220;court-martial proceedings or administrative measures.&#8221; Kelly, along with Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) — all former military members — <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-urge-military-to-disobey-orders-from-trump-admin-trigger-accusations-of-insurrection">released a video</a> last week where they encouraged military members to ignore what they perceived as unlawful orders.
&#8220;The Department of War reminds all individuals that military retirees remain subject to the [Uniform Code of Military Justice] for applicable offenses, and federal laws such as 18 U.S.C. § 2387 prohibit actions intended to interfere with the loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces. Any violations will be addressed through appropriate legal channels,&#8221; the War Department said.
The <a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section2387&amp;num=0&amp;edition=prelim">U.S. code</a> cited by the department makes it a crime &#8220;to interfere with, impair, or influence the loyalty, morale, or discipline of the military or naval forces of the United States&#8221; and &#8220;to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military or naval forces of the United States.&#8221; Those who violate 18 U.S.C. 2387 face up to 10 years in prison.
In the video, the six Democrats argued that the Trump administration &#8220;is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.&#8221;
&#8220;Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution,&#8221; the Democratic leaders told U.S. service members. &#8220;Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren&#8217;t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.&#8221;
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&#8220;Our laws are clear, you can refuse illegal orders,&#8221; the Democrats added. &#8220;You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community.
The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.
Don’t give up the ship. <a href="https://t.co/N8lW0EpQ7r">pic.twitter.com/N8lW0EpQ7r</a>
— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
President Donald Trump responded to the video last week, suggesting that it constituted &#8220;SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH.&#8221; He later clarified that he was not calling for the senators to receive the death penalty, but he has continued to share claims that the Democrats are guilty of sedition.
Kelly <a href="https://x.com/SenMarkKelly/status/1992710684984082803">said</a> on Sunday that Trump is &#8220;calling for the execution of members of Congress.&#8221;
&#8220;His words carry tremendous weight, more so than anybody else in the country, and he should be aware of that,&#8221; the senator added. &#8220;And because of what he says, there [are] now increased threats against us.&#8221;
In their video, the Democratic lawmakers did not give a single example of an illegal order the president has issued to the U.S. military. Senator Slotkin was asked on Sunday whether Trump has given any illegal orders, and she could not name any.
&#8220;I am not aware of things that are illegal, but certainly there are some legal gymnastics that are going on with these Caribbean strikes and everything related to Venezuela,&#8221; Slotkin said.

War Department Reviewing ‘Serious Allegations’ Against Sen. Mark Kelly After Dem Military Message

U.S.

A group of six Democrats, comprised of two senators and four members of the House, released an incendiary video in which they called for members of the military and intelligence community to disobey orders they receive from the Trump administration.
Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), along with Reps. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Jason Crow (D-CO), all former members of the military, encouraged military members to “refuse illegal orders.”
“The administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens,” they claimed. “Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, right now.”
The Democrats accused the Trump administration of violating the Constitution, continuing, “The threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.”
“Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders,” they pronounced, reiterating, “You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.”
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“We know this is hard and that it’s a difficult time to be a public servant,” they insisted. &#8220;But whether you’re serving in the CIA, the Army, our Navy, the Air Force, your vigilance is critical. And know that we have your back, because now, more than ever, the American people need you. We need you to stand up for our laws, our Constitution, and who we are as Americans. Don’t give up. Don’t give up the ship.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community.
The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.
Don’t give up the ship. <a href="https://t.co/N8lW0EpQ7r">pic.twitter.com/N8lW0EpQ7r</a>
&mdash; Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller immediately responded, “Democrat lawmakers are now openly calling for insurrection.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Democrat lawmakers are now openly calling for insurrection. <a href="https://t.co/HwJB9nGFXA">https://t.co/HwJB9nGFXA</a>
&mdash; Stephen Miller (@StephenM) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephenM/status/1990872986967326840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“There’s nothing graver than you can possibly say as a United States senator than encouraging, urging, directing members of the armed forces of the United States or the clandestine services of the United States to defy their president, to defy their chain of command, defy their superiors,” he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BOOM!!! Stephen Miller just exposed the entire Democrat operation LIVE. They weren’t “criticizing” Trump… they were actively PRESSURING the military &amp; intelligence community to IGNORE a sitting President. That’s not politics. That’s INSURRECTION. Miller lays it out perfectly:… <a href="https://t.co/yQR3SJvsJj">pic.twitter.com/yQR3SJvsJj</a>
&mdash; QThestorm (@17QStorm) <a href="https://twitter.com/17QStorm/status/1991256507992649996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
President Trump, as per usual, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115582451169685243">bluntly addressed the situation</a>, writing, “This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???” He <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115582703277798715">added</a>, “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”
The irony, of course, is that previous Democratic administrations have routinely violated the Constitution with not a peep heard from their party.
As The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/09/08/5th-circuit-ruling-covid-content-moderation/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">noted</a> in September 2023, “The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit on Friday ruled that the Biden White House, top government health officials and the FBI likely violated the First Amendment by improperly influencing tech companies’ decisions to remove or suppress posts on the coronavirus and elections.&#8221;
In 2021, <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/paxton-sues-biden-administration-unconstitutional-vaccine-mandate?utm_source=chatgpt.com">various</a> entities, including <a href="https://adflegal.org/case/daily-wire-v-occupational-safety-and-health-administration/">The Daily Wire</a>, sued the Biden administration for its illegal and unconstitutional vaccine mandate imposed on private businesses.

President Trump Meets With The Crown Prince And Prime Minister Of Saudi Arabia At The White House

Democrats Urge Military To Disobey Orders From Trump Admin, Trigger Accusations Of Insurrection

insurrection

On Independence Day, we celebrate.
On Memorial Day, we remember.
On Veterans Day, we honor. We honor all who, at one point in time, signed a blank check to the United States of America and said, “I’m in.”
But in for what? And for how long?
What I signed up for was to be part of the solution, to be a defender for my country. To be part of something bigger than myself and to sacrifice my “right now” for the future of my nation.
That oath wasn’t about a uniform. It was about a calling. Service doesn’t end when the deployment does; it simply takes new form.
When I first took my oath, I thought it was a promise limited by time, a contract that ended when my active duty did. But years later, I’ve realized that my oath was never meant to expire. It was a declaration of lifelong responsibility, a commitment to something far greater than myself: to stand ready, in whatever way the moment demands.
<div id="attachment_998785" style="width: 812px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-998785" class="size-full wp-image-998785" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Jimmy-graham.jpg" alt="" width="802" height="564" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Jimmy-graham.jpg 802w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Jimmy-graham-300x211.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Jimmy-graham-768x540.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 802px) 100vw, 802px" />Credit: Jimmy Graham</div>
I may no longer be on active duty status, defending freedom on distant shores, but I’ve never been more active. Everything I do is a continuation of service — to this nation that I dearly love and to the people in it. The war today is against apathy, division, and moral decay. It’s the fight for our children’s minds in classrooms that have forgotten the truth. It’s the struggle for integrity in leadership, for unity in our communities, and for courage in a culture that rewards comfort. It’s a war for meaning in a generation that’s been told purpose is optional.
My battleground has shifted from standing on the frontlines of combat to standing in the frontlines of my home and community.
True service evolves. It becomes mentorship, leadership, and example-setting. It means preparing others to stand firm when life demands strength. It means showing young men and women that service isn’t just about defending borders; it’s about defending principles.
Many veterans understand this instinctively. We can’t turn it off, nor should we. The discipline, humility, and vigilance we learned in uniform are needed now more than ever right in our own city. Our duty didn’t end when we hung up our gear; it was simply reassigned.
But, we can’t expect our military or our first responders to shoulder all of the responsibility for keeping our nation safe and strong. If the last few years have shown us anything, it’s that danger doesn’t always knock first, it shows up unexpectedly in our schools, our churches, and our neighborhoods. We can’t outsource courage, so we must all be ready to fight and defend.
That relentless commitment to excellence and readiness is what our nation needs. It’s what we can all learn from the men and women who’ve worn the uniform and adopted a service mindset that transcends battlefields.
<div id="attachment_998787" style="width: 730px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-998787" class="size-large wp-image-998787" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/J-Graham-720x576.jpg" alt="Credit: Jimmy Graham" width="720" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/J-Graham-720x576.jpg 720w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/J-Graham-300x240.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/J-Graham-768x614.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/J-Graham.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" />Credit: Jimmy Graham</div>
So how do we honor veterans this Veterans Day? By doing more than saying, &#8220;thank you.&#8221; By showing our unyielding appreciation for those who fought for this country, but also by recognizing those wearing a new uniform and continuing the fight here at home. The ones leading in their churches, mentoring the next generation, and protecting their communities.
To those who’ve never served, I hope you turn your gratitude into movement. Put on that metaphorical uniform and join the new mission alongside the Vets now serving at home.
To my fellow veterans, thank you for your courageous service. I invite you back into “active duty.” This nation needs your leadership, professionalism, and courage now more than ever. Find a way to better serve your family, your community, and your country once again.
More than a once-a-year &#8220;thank you,&#8221; we need active appreciation. We need proof that the generations to come will carry on our fight for freedom. That the men and women of this great nation will continually defend our land and sacred institutions through service that comes in all shapes and sizes. That is how we can truly honor our veterans.
* * *
Jimmy Graham, CEO of<a href="https://ableshepherd.com/"> Able Shepherd</a>, is a veteran Navy SEAL and former CIA Global Response Staff Protective Officer with over two decades of experience in high-risk environments worldwide. He and his team train civilians, law enforcement, and first responders across the U.S. in armed and unarmed response to active threats to improve community safety and preparedness.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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