White House Clarifies Admiral's Order Amid War Crime Concerns Over Caribbean Vessel Strike
The White House has come out to defend its handling of a recent military operation in the Caribbean, where an American vessel was struck multiple times by fighter jets in September. According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, it was actually Admiral Frank Bradley who ordered the second strike, not Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Leavitt stated that Trump and Hegseth authorized the operation, with the goal of destroying a suspected drug trafficking vessel and eliminating a threat to national security. However, a report by The Washington Post has raised eyebrows over the first strike, when the military attacked the sinking ship twice as survivors clung to it - an act some lawmakers have deemed potentially war criminal.
Leavitt disputed the Post's account, stating that Bradley worked within his authority and the law to ensure the vessel was destroyed. She also defended the strikes as being in self-defense to protect Americans. In contrast, sources told The Washington Post that Hegseth had previously ordered "kill everybody" verbally, a claim Leavitt quickly rejected.
The incident has sparked fresh criticism from Congress, with lawmakers expressing concerns over the use of force and its potential consequences under international law. Sen. Mark Kelly and Sen. Tim Kaine have both stated that the reported actions would be considered a clear violation of the DoD's laws of war and international norms on treating people in distress.
White House officials have pushed back against these criticisms, with Hegseth calling The Washington Post's reporting "fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory". Leavitt stated that Trump had denied any knowledge of Hegseth giving such an order, and that he did not want the strikes to happen.
However, with tensions running high, it remains to be seen how these developments will play out in the White House.
The White House has come out to defend its handling of a recent military operation in the Caribbean, where an American vessel was struck multiple times by fighter jets in September. According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, it was actually Admiral Frank Bradley who ordered the second strike, not Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Leavitt stated that Trump and Hegseth authorized the operation, with the goal of destroying a suspected drug trafficking vessel and eliminating a threat to national security. However, a report by The Washington Post has raised eyebrows over the first strike, when the military attacked the sinking ship twice as survivors clung to it - an act some lawmakers have deemed potentially war criminal.
Leavitt disputed the Post's account, stating that Bradley worked within his authority and the law to ensure the vessel was destroyed. She also defended the strikes as being in self-defense to protect Americans. In contrast, sources told The Washington Post that Hegseth had previously ordered "kill everybody" verbally, a claim Leavitt quickly rejected.
The incident has sparked fresh criticism from Congress, with lawmakers expressing concerns over the use of force and its potential consequences under international law. Sen. Mark Kelly and Sen. Tim Kaine have both stated that the reported actions would be considered a clear violation of the DoD's laws of war and international norms on treating people in distress.
White House officials have pushed back against these criticisms, with Hegseth calling The Washington Post's reporting "fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory". Leavitt stated that Trump had denied any knowledge of Hegseth giving such an order, and that he did not want the strikes to happen.
However, with tensions running high, it remains to be seen how these developments will play out in the White House.
Admiral Bradley's actions are being questioned and some lawmakers think he might've done war crimes 
. I get that we want to protect our country, but not at the cost of human lives 
. The fact that there was a second strike on a sinking ship with people still clinging to it is just crazy 
.
Karoline Leavitt keeps saying that Bradley worked within his authority, but I'm not sure if that's true 
. And why did Trump and Hegseth authorize the operation in the first place? Were they really thinking about protecting Americans or just using it as an excuse to flex their military muscles? 
. We need to make sure our military leaders are acting with integrity and following the law 
. It's not just about national security, it's about human rights too 
.
, but then Trump and Hegseth are all over it like "yeah, we gave the green light" 
. Meanwhile, those lawmakers are going off about war crimes and international law 
. It feels like a big ol' mess 
.
. And why is everyone denying that Trump had any idea about the "kill everybody" order? Did they think that would fly under the radar? 
... or am I? 
I mean, I've read that report from The Washington Post and it sounds super sketchy, but then again, Admiral Bradley is a total hero for following protocol and doing what's best for national security 
... unless it was actually Admiral Bradley who gave the orders in the first place? 
Maybe I'm just being a conspiracy theorist, but it feels like there's some major cover-up going on here 
. Can't trust anyone right now...
And what about Hegseth's "kill everybody" order - is it just an exaggeration or did he actually mean it?
I wish they'd be more transparent about this whole thing. We deserve to know the truth... 
dont take Sen Kelly & Kaine's word for it, gotta see the footage before makin accusations... 
! You got your administration spinning the narrative, trying to deflect blame from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's alleged "kill everybody" order 
, but it's just not adding up 
. I'm not saying that doesn't sound like something the Trump administration would do, but come on, folks! We need more transparency here 
. But one thing's for sure - if Hegseth did indeed break protocol, he needs to take responsibility for it 
. It's concerning that there's been a reported verbal instruction to "kill everybody" from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which seems to contradict the official narrative 
. I'm not sure what's more alarming - the reported actions or the fact that they're being downplayed by the White House 
, but at the same time there are all these concerns about the first strike when they attacked the sinking ship... like, shouldn't you be trying to save people instead of just blowing them up? 
I don't get why he can't just tell people to evacuate or something instead of sending jets after them... anyway, I guess we'll just have to see how this all plays out in the White House 
my heart is aching for those survivors who were stuck on that ship... can't even imagine what they went through during that attack 
multiple times? sounds like such a traumatic experience just because of some "miscommunication" or "authorization" issue 
it's not okay, no matter how you spin it. and now lawmakers are saying it might be considered war crimes? 
. I don't think anyone wants to see our soldiers or sailors get caught in the crossfire, and if they did, it would be a total breach of international law 
. As for Trump's denial, idk man...he's got a history of being involved in some shady stuff 
. We should all be keeping an eye on this one 
. And Trump denying it? Yeah, I'm not buying it 
. Not everyone in Congress is happy about this, and I don't blame them