U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has issued a stark and defiant response to a Washington Post report that alleged he gave a verbal directive for everyone to be killed during the first U.S. boat strike against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean.
Responding on X (formerly Twitter), Hegseth minimized the controversy with a chilling one-liner: “We have only just begun to kill narco-terrorists.”
The Controversial ‘Double-Tap’ Incident
The incident in question occurred on September 2, 2025, which marked the official start of President Donald Trump’s declared war on suspected drug traffickers in the region.
- Verbal Order: According to people in the know, Hegseth gave the verbal order to “kill everybody” during the attack on the vessel.
- Execution: The media report further detailed that the Special Operations commander overseeing the mission then ordered a second strike on the boat, carrying 11 people, to comply with the Secretary of War’s directive. As a result, two survivors were reportedly “blown apart in the water.” The strike ensured that all 11 people aboard were killed.
Escalation and Impact in Venezuela
Since the controversial first strike, the U.S. has conducted numerous other boat strikes. The impact of these actions has been keenly felt, particularly in Venezuela.
- Casualties: Over 80 people have been killed in these strikes thus far, according to Reuters. The Trump administration argues these actions have severely damaged the operations of drug cartels, including groups it claims are led by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro—an allegation Maduro denies.
- Venezuelan Surveillance: Following the bombings, local authorities have stepped up surveillance in Venezuela’s remote northeastern state of Sucre, according to Reuters.
- Regime Change Options: The heightened military action has fuelled fears in Caracas that the U.S. is not simply focused on curbing trafficking. Reuters reported that the Trump administration is planning a new phase of Venezuela-related operations. Two U.S. officials indicated that covert operations would likely be part of the new action against Maduro, and options under active consideration include overthrowing the Venezuelan leader.
- Military Presence: The U.S. already maintains a massive military presence in the region, including an aircraft carrier strike group, Navy warships, and a stealth aircraft, which has intensified worries in Caracas regarding a possible regime change effort.
The U.S. administration defends its use of lethal force by designating the drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), thereby claiming the legal justification to treat the vessels as enemy combatants under the law of armed conflict.