Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fires back at the Washington Post’s “fake stories” about Caribbean drug boat strikes, exposing how leftist media weaponizes false narratives to undermine Trump’s war on deadly cartels poisoning American communities.
Story Highlights
- Hegseth denounces Washington Post reporting as “fabricated, inflammatory and derogatory” smear campaign
- Defense Secretary defends lawful military operations against Venezuelan narcoterrorists from Tren de Aragua gang
- Over 20 strikes conducted against drug vessels since September, targeting criminals flooding America with poison
- Congressional Democrats exploit media lies to attack Trump administration’s aggressive anti-cartel stance
Hegseth Exposes Media Fabrication Campaign
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth forcefully rejected Washington Post claims about Caribbean drug interdiction operations, calling the reporting “fabricated, inflammatory and derogatory.”
The Post alleged Hegseth ordered strikes against wounded occupants of drug vessels, prompting Hegseth to defend operations as “lawful under both U.S. and international law” and approved by military and civilian lawyers throughout the chain of command. This represents another attempt by establishment media to weaponize false narratives against the Trump administration’s decisive action against criminal organizations.
Trump Administration Escalates War on Narcoterrorists
The September operations targeted Venezuelan vessels operated by the Tren de Aragua gang, killing 11 alleged members in the initial strike. Since then, U.S. forces have conducted over 20 additional strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels across the Caribbean and Pacific.
These operations represent a significant escalation in military engagement against narcotics networks that have flooded American communities with deadly substances, demonstrating President Trump’s commitment to protecting Americans from foreign criminal organizations.
Democrats Exploit False Reports to Attack Defense Leadership
Congressional Democrats immediately seized on the Washington Post’s disputed reporting to launch political attacks against Hegseth. Senator Mark Kelly called the Defense Secretary “not a serious person” while Chuck Schumer labeled him a “national embarrassment.”
These attacks follow the familiar pattern of Democrats using questionable media reports to undermine effective conservative leadership, particularly when operations target the criminal networks contributing to America’s drug crisis.
White House Clarifies Command Authority
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that Admiral Mitch Bradley of Joint Special Operations Command operated “well within his authority and the law” during the Caribbean operations.
The White House emphasized proper authorization procedures were followed, countering media suggestions of rogue operations. Despite conflicting accounts from unnamed sources, the administration maintains all strikes were legally justified and properly authorized through established military channels designed to ensure lawful conduct.
Hegseth erupts over WaPo ‘fake stories’ smear, vows to stop ‘poisoning of the American people’ https://t.co/pDbSPUrd8D
— ConservativeLibrarian (@ConserLibrarian) December 2, 2025
Both House and Senate Armed Services Committees have opened investigations into the September incident, likely focusing on legal compliance rather than operational effectiveness.
While Democrats pursue political theater, the core mission remains protecting Americans from deadly narcotics trafficked by foreign criminal organizations that have exploited weak border policies and inadequate enforcement for years under previous administrations.
Sources:
Hegseth scrutinized for drug boat strikes, Franklin meme
