Pete Hegseth

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said that "it's very possible there was a war crime committed" in the Trump administration's first strike against a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the Caribbean Sea in September.

Republican Rep. Carlos Gimenez stood by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following a report claiming that he ordered that all members aboard an alleged drug vessel in the Caribbean be killed, alleged actions that prompted Democrats to say he may have committed war crimes.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk urged the Trump administration to investigate a reported second strike to finish off survivors of an alleged drug vessel in September.

Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin dismissed criticism against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following a report claiming that he ordered all people aboard an alleged drug vessel be killed.

President Donald Trump said he "wouldn't have wanted a second strike" against an alleged drug vessel, following controversy stemming from a report that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered all people aboard the vessel be killed.

Republican-led Committees in the House and the Senate announced they will conduct respective investigations regarding an alleged order from Defense Secretarty Pete Hegseth to kill all members of an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean

Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth may have committed a war crime if a report claiming that survivors of a strike against an alleged drug vessels were finished off with a second attack.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered that all people aboard an alleged drug vessel were killed by a U.S. strike in September, prompting the military to conduct a second strike to finish off survivors, according to a new report.

Dominican President Luis Abinader announced the country will allow the U.S. to use restricted airspace of an air force base and an international airport as its military deployment in the region continues.

Former White House adviser Steve Bannon urged the Trump administration to speed up the investigation against Democratic Senator Mark Kelly for telling military and intelligence officers to reject unlawful orders.

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly slammed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying he is "totally unqualified" for the post and only wants to "please" President Donald Trump.

The Department of Defense gave a top military official a hard deadline to provide updates on an investigation on Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, one of six lawmakers who called on military and intelligence officials to refuse to follow unlawful orders

Ruben Gallego slammed the Trump administration over its announced investigation into fellow Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly over a video in which he, along with other lawmakers, urged members of the military and the intelligence community to not comply with illegal orders from the government.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Said the imminent designation of the Cartel de los Soles, which the Trump administration accuses Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro of leading, "brings a whole bunch of new options to the United States" to target the regime

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday Operation Southern Spear, which is aimed at targeting "narco-terrorists" and defend "our homeland from the drugs that are killing our people." The publication has led to speculation about whether an escalation is coming.

According to experts, the Trump administration cannot continue its campaign in Venezuela without explicit Congressional approval once the War Powers Resolution's 60-day limit expires on Nov. 3.

The death toll of U.S. strikes against alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific has now reached at least 70 following the latest episode on Thursday.

Critics warn the program could fuel a new arms race while failing to deliver the level of protection Trump has promised

A three-star general was removed from his post on the Pentagon's Joint Staff after months of sustained tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a new report.

The U.S. has now killed more than 60 people in its different strikes against alleged drug vessels in the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called Latin American cartels the "Al-Qaeda" of the Western Hemisphere and anticipated the Trump administration will continue its military campaign in the region.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Tuesday a new wave of attacks against alleged drug-trafficking vessels, claiming 14 people were killed and one survived

A U.S. military strike overnight that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said killed six people aboard a vessel linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, has raised the tally of fatalities from the U.S. campaign to 43

The United States announced it is intensifying military operations in Latin America, particularly near Venezuelan waters, with the creation of a new joint counter-narcotics task force.

Republican Rep. Carlos Gimenez reiterated the claim that the Venezuelan regime is close to falling after the latest U.S. strike against an alleged drug-trafficking vessel off the coast of the South American country

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said there are "hints" that the latest vessel struck by the U.S. "was Colombian and had Colombian citizens" on it.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the U.S.'s strike on a vessel off the Venezuelan coast, expressing "serious concern about Washington's escalating actions in the Caribbean Sea that are fraught with far-reaching consequences for the region"

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that those who are north of Venezuela and intend to traffic drugs into the U.S. will be considered a legitimate target by the U.S. military

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. military is acting on "reliable intelligence" in targeting boats allegedly smuggling narcotics through the Caribbean

Colombian President Gustavo Petro slammed U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Over the country's latest strike on a vessel off the Venezuelan coast on Friday