Washington D.C. – Mounting criticism from both Democrats and republicans is intensifying pressure on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following controversies surrounding a September boat attack and internal dysfunction within the Pentagon. Despite the growing concerns, former President Trump continues to publicly support Hegseth, making significant consequences unlikely.
The scrutiny began after questions arose regarding the September incident involving a strike on a vessel in the caribbean. Senator Rand Paul suggested Hegseth either “was lying to us or he’s incompetent and didn’t no it had happened.” Republican Congressman Don Bacon told CNN he had “seen enough” to conclude Hegseth was not the right leader for the Pentagon.
adding to the pressure, reports detail a chaotic atmosphere within the pentagon itself, characterized by aides leaking information and informing on colleagues. Hegseth initiated a leak inquiry – in which the White House reportedly lost confidence – leading to the spring purge of three top advisors, wiht allegations of an illegal warrantless NSA wiretap used to identify them.
The Trump administration has defended it’s Caribbean boat campaign, stating it targets vessels linked to terrorist organizations like Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and Colombia’s National Liberation Army, though no public evidence supporting these designations has been provided. The administration also asserts it is engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels, justifying military action without congressional authorization, a claim disputed by legal experts.
At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Hegseth maintained a firm stance, stating the military has “only just begun striking narco-boats and putting narco-terrorists at the bottom of the ocean,” while acknowledging a temporary pause due to “it’s hard to find boats to strike right now.” A new strike resulting in four fatalities was announced on Thursday.
Despite the controversies, the White House has expressed “the utmost confidence” in its national security team, and with Republicans controlling the Senate and Trump’s continued backing, Hegseth is expected to avoid considerable repercussions.
