The controversy centres on a 40-minute classified video that reportedly shows unarmed men being fatally struck during a US military operation targeting drug traffickers.
Hegseth, a former Army soldier and television anchor, was appointed Defence Secretary by President Donald Trump in January 2025.
Congress Withholds Budget, Demands Full Footage
US lawmakers are demanding unedited videos of all military strikes. To pressure the Pentagon, Congress has frozen 25% of Hegseth’s official travel budget.
Democratic Party leaders have openly called for his resignation, increasing pressure on President Trump to act.
The strikes were part of Trump’s declared “war on drugs”, aimed at stopping narcotics trafficked from Venezuela and other South American nations. Trump has labeled these smugglers “narco-terrorists” and authorised military operations across the Caribbean.
The Strike That Sparked the Firestorm
According to The Washington Post, on September 2 the US military targeted a boat carrying 11 people. The first drone strike killed nine and injured two. Moments later, a second strike killed the remaining survivors.
Pentagon data shows 21 strikes have been carried out in this campaign, resulting in 82 deaths, though officials have not conclusively identified all those killed as drug traffickers.
Members of a congressional committee who viewed the full footage described it as “the most horrific scene” they had ever witnessed. The video reportedly shows two shirtless men clinging to wreckage with their hands raised in surrender before Admiral Frank Bradley ordered a second strike.
Hegseth Called a “Flip-Flopper”
Hegseth first said he watched the attack live but later changed his statements multiple times. He denied ordering the final strike, insisting it was Bradley’s call.
Admiral Bradley told Congress he had obtained legal advice before approving the second attack.
Pentagon officials argued the boat stayed afloat because it carried cocaine and claimed the survivors might have returned to Venezuela with the drugs.
However, legal experts say attacking wounded or drowning individuals who pose no threat constitutes a war crime under US and international law.
Previous Controversies Add to Pressure
This is not Hegseth’s first controversy.
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In March, he accidentally leaked a classified military plan regarding operations against Yemen’s Houthi rebels in a private Signal chat that mistakenly included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg.
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In 2017, he settled a sexual-harassment complaint for $50,000.
With Congress demanding accountability and public criticism mounting, Hegseth’s future in the Trump administration remains uncertain. The episode has revived debate over the legal and ethical boundaries of US drone warfare—and the responsibility of senior leaders who authorise lethal missions.
