US Senator Mark Kelly has expressed deep concern over a recent US Navy strike on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean, stating that it "seems to" amount to a war crime. As a former Navy pilot with over two decades of service, Kelly has personal experience with military operations and is alarmed by reports that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was directly involved in ordering the double-tap strike.
According to CNN's State of the Union program, Kelly described his reservations about Hegseth's actions, saying that if the reports are accurate, he has serious doubts about those at the top of the chain of command crossing a line they should never cross. Kelly emphasized his respect for the US Navy and called on Hegseth to step down.
Kelly's comments come after Washington Post reported that Hegseth gave an order for the double-tap strike, which resulted in the killing of survivors of the initial attack. Kelly has previously been critical of President Trump's leadership style, citing a lack of understanding of the Constitution, and he believes that Hegseth is similarly unqualified to hold his position.
In response to Kelly's criticism, Hegseth has dismissed the reports as "fake news." However, Kelly remains unconvinced, stating that he would have refused an order to target survivors in the water during a previous military operation. This stance underscores Kelly's commitment to upholding international law and protecting human life in conflict zones.
Hegseth's defense of his actions has sparked widespread criticism from lawmakers and experts alike, with many questioning his qualifications for the position. As Kelly pointed out, Hegseth's appointment by President Trump marks a concerning trend in the administration's handling of sensitive positions.
The incident raises questions about accountability within the US military and the executive branch, particularly when it comes to actions that may be deemed war crimes.
According to CNN's State of the Union program, Kelly described his reservations about Hegseth's actions, saying that if the reports are accurate, he has serious doubts about those at the top of the chain of command crossing a line they should never cross. Kelly emphasized his respect for the US Navy and called on Hegseth to step down.
Kelly's comments come after Washington Post reported that Hegseth gave an order for the double-tap strike, which resulted in the killing of survivors of the initial attack. Kelly has previously been critical of President Trump's leadership style, citing a lack of understanding of the Constitution, and he believes that Hegseth is similarly unqualified to hold his position.
In response to Kelly's criticism, Hegseth has dismissed the reports as "fake news." However, Kelly remains unconvinced, stating that he would have refused an order to target survivors in the water during a previous military operation. This stance underscores Kelly's commitment to upholding international law and protecting human life in conflict zones.
Hegseth's defense of his actions has sparked widespread criticism from lawmakers and experts alike, with many questioning his qualifications for the position. As Kelly pointed out, Hegseth's appointment by President Trump marks a concerning trend in the administration's handling of sensitive positions.
The incident raises questions about accountability within the US military and the executive branch, particularly when it comes to actions that may be deemed war crimes.
This whole thing is super messed up 
... I mean, we're talking about a former Navy pilot, Mark Kelly, who's like "this doesn't feel right" 
. He's not some crazy conspiracy theorist, he has experience with military ops and he's genuinely concerned about the ethics of what went down. And now, Hegseth is basically brushing it off as fake news 
... which just makes everyone else even more skeptical. The fact that Kelly's calling for Hegseth to step down is actually a pretty reasonable ask 
. It's not like we're talking about some obscure policy or something. We're talking about basic human decency and respect for international law 
. It's time for someone in power to take responsibility for their actions 
.
. I mean, as a former Navy pilot myself, I know how intense ops can get, but targeting survivors in the water? That's just not right 
. If Mark Kelly knows his stuff and has flown with the Navy for 20+ years, he'd know that's not the way it's done 
. It's a whole different ball game when you're dealing with actual combat situations vs trying to get the bad guys off the water 
. I'm all for taking down suspected drug traffickers, but there are ways to do it without killing innocent people 
. We need to hold our leaders accountable for their actions and make sure they know that we care about human life 
.
. It's like, we're supposed to be the good guys, right? But if someone at the top is ordering attacks that result in innocent lives being lost, then what are we even doing? 
... So Kelly's saying this double-tap strike in the Caribbean is basically a war crime? Like, how did we even get to this point? 
And now Pete Hegseth's denying it all, calling it "fake news" 
we need ppl with integrity & moral compass in positions of power, not just whoever's available to get elected 
. The incident highlights the need for greater transparency and oversight in military operations, particularly when it comes to sensitive issues like this one 
. As Kelly pointed out, Hegseth's appointment by President Trump does raise concerns about the administration's handling of sensitive positions 
! I mean, Kelly's been saying some pretty out there stuff, but this double-tap strike thing? That's just too much for me... think about it, if Hegseth was directly involved in ordering the strike and it resulted in the killing of survivors... what's to say he wasn't ordered by someone else higher up? like, we can't even trust him to make his own decisions 
.
just heard about this US Navy strike on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and I'm already thinking worst-case scenario... like what if there were actual innocent people on those boats? 
), it's hard to imagine anyone ordering a double-tap strike that would kill survivors in the water. It just doesn't sit right with me.
). Seriously though, accountability is key in situations like this. I hope Hegseth steps down and some real answers come out about what happened.
. I don't get why Pete Hegseth is still defending himself tho, it's just obvious he messed up big time 
!
and calling out pete heggseth for his questionable actions 
like come on, a double-tap strike that kills survivors in the water? that's straight up war crimes 
. i know kelly has experience with military ops and he's not afraid to speak his mind 
so if he says hegseth is unqualified, i trust him 
and we need some real accountability in our gov 
. as an army brat myself 