Pete Hegseth

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Hegseth Wears Thin on Congressional Republicans

Lawmakers express frustration with Pentagon secrecy over strikes

(Newser) - Republican lawmakers are expressing exasperation with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his management of the Pentagon—with some suggesting he may not be able to keep the job even if their investigations clear him in the fatal attack on apparent survivors of a US strike in the Caribbean. Their frustration...

Report: IG Finds Hegseth Could Have Put Troops in Danger

Classified version of Signalgate report was provided to lawmakers Tuesday night

(Newser) - The Pentagon's watchdog found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put US personnel and their mission at risk when he used the Signal messaging app to convey sensitive information about a military strike against Yemen's Houthi militants, sources tell the AP and CNN . Hegseth, however, has the ability to...

Hegseth Defends Boat Strike, Cites 'Fog of War'

He says he didn't see any survivors after first strike

(Newser) - Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Tuesday defended the secondary strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea, citing the "fog of war" as reason for his not seeing any survivors in the water when the strike was ordered and launched. Hegseth's comments came during a...

Mark Kelly Rips Into 'Embarrassing' Hegseth

Senator likens defense chief to a boy playing Army

(Newser) - Sen. Mark Kelly laid into Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Monday amid the controversy over a lethal missile strike on a drug boat. The former Navy pilot, who was recently accused of sedition by President Trump for a video in which he urged service members to disobey illegal orders, likened...

Hegseth: Admiral Who Ordered 2nd Boat Strike Is 'American Hero'

Hegseth says Navy commander acted within the law on September mission

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday offered strong support for Navy Admiral Frank M. "Mitch" Bradley, who reportedly ordered a controversial second military strike on a boat that was allegedly involved in drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea on Sept. 2, the Hill reports. "Let's make one...

Hegseth Angers Publisher With Franklin the Turtle Post

Secretary shared fake book cover showing children's book character firing RPG at drug boat

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, apparently making light of war crimes allegations , shared a meme Sunday showing the children's book character Franklin the Turtle firing a rocket-propelled grenade at a boat. The meme depicted a fake book cover with the title "Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists," the Hill reports....

Did Hegseth Go Too Far? What Critics Are Saying

Some see the killing of boat survivors as a violation of military and human rights codes

(Newser) - Pete Hegseth and the White House deny allegations that anything improper unfolded when special ops troops unleashed two separate missile strikes on a suspected drug boat—the second of which killed two survivors clinging to the wrecked vessel. But the issue only seems to be gaining steam. Background and opinions:...

White House Defends Second Strike on Boat

Hegseth and the special ops commander operated legally, says Karoline Leavitt

(Newser) - The White House on Monday defended as lawful two separate missile strikes on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean, the second coming as two survivors clung to the vessel after the first strike. But White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt also clarified that the second strike order came from the...

Trump: Hegseth Didn't Order Strike on Survivors

President says he trusts Pentagon chief's denial about drug boat controversy

(Newser) - President Trump is standing by Pete Hegseth amid controversy over a deadly military strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that the Pentagon chief did not order a second strike specifically to kill two survivors from the initial strike. "Pete...

Congress Looks Into Report Hegseth Issued Kill Order

House, Senate panels pledge oversight of military operations in Caribbean

(Newser) - House and Senate committees have launched inquiries in response to reporting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered that everyone on a vessel the US says was smuggling drugs in the Caribbean be killed . Hegseth gave the spoken command after two people appeared to have survived the initial US strike in...

After Boat Attack, 2 Survivors Were Blown Out of Water: WaPo

Source says DOD chief Hegseth gave order to 'kill everybody' in first boat strike in early September

(Newser) - A new report reveals that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly gave a chilling order during the Trump administration's first military strike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean. "The order was to kill everybody," a source said to be familiar with the operation tells the Washington ...

South Park's Thanksgiving Chaos Involves Hegseth

He mistakes holiday marathon for Antifa uprising

(Newser) - South Park takes aim at both the US government and Saudi Arabia in its latest episode, a Thanksgiving special that puts the town's holiday marathon at the center of the chaos. With regular sponsors unable to foot the bill—Stan's Tegridy Weed Farms is out of business, and...

FBI Asks to Interview 6 Lawmakers Over Video

Democrats reminded troops that they have a duty to refuse illegal orders

(Newser) - The FBI has asked to interview six Democratic lawmakers who told military personnel that they must refuse illegal orders. The lawmakers confirmed the FBI request to the Washington Post on Tuesday. The FBI request to schedule interviews comes after the Pentagon threatened to recall Sen. Mark Kelly to active duty,...

Pentagon Moves to End Partnership With Scouts

Defense secretary cites DEI initiatives in draft memo to Congress

(Newser) - The Pentagon is reportedly preparing to end a century-old partnership with Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts, according to documents reviewed by NPR . Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has drafted a memo to Congress criticizing the organization as "genderless," claiming it no longer supports "the future...

US Calls Cartel a Terror Group; Venezuela Says It Doesn't Exist

US seeks 'new options' by labeling Cartel de los Soles it says Maduro runs as a terror organization

(Newser) - Venezuela is pushing back hard against a US plan to label the so-called Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization, dismissing the move as a "ridiculous fabrication" ahead of a formal announcement expected Monday. The Trump administration alleges the group is run by high-ranking Venezuelan officials, with President...

US Military Announces Its 20th Boat Strike

4 are reported dead after Caribbean Sea hit that US government alleges targeted a drug vessel

(Newser) - The US military's 20th strike on a boat accused of transporting drugs has killed four people in the Caribbean Sea, the US military said Friday, coming as the Trump administration escalates its campaign in South American waters. The latest strike happened Monday, according to a social media post on...

Hegseth: Latest Drug Boat Strikes Kill 6

Pair of boats destroyed in the eastern Pacific bring total number of US hits at 19 since September

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday announced the latest in a series of strikes on boats accused of ferrying drugs—six people were killed in attacks on two vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The dual strikes on Sunday bring the total number of known attacks up to 19 and...

Hegseth Announces 16th Deadly 'Drug Boat' Strike

Death toll is now at least 66 in controversial strikes

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced yet another deadly strike on a boat accused of ferrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, coming the same day an aircraft carrier began heading to the region in a new expansion of military firepower, the AP reports. The attack Tuesday killed two people aboard...

In Vietnam, Hegseth Talks About War's Legacy, Arms Deals

Transport helicopters and planes are under discussion

(Newser) - On a trip to Hanoi on Sunday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called for expanded military cooperation as the US and Vietnam negotiate potential arms deals. Hegseth, speaking ahead of a meeting with Defense Minister Phan Van Giang, said closer military ties would serve the interests of both nations, Reuters reports....

Hegseth, Noem Among Cabinet Members Living in Military Digs

Senior US officials take over DC residences meant for top generals, admirals, drawing some criticism

(Newser) - Several senior Trump administration officials have moved into military housing traditionally reserved for top-ranking officers in the Washington, DC, area, reports the New York Times . Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth now resides in Quarters 8 at Fort McNair—the historic home typically assigned to the Army's vice chief of staff...

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