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Americans deserve the straight truth, not the performative outrage staged by coastal elites, and the most important fact from the classified briefings is simple: a top admiral told Congress there was no “kill them all” order issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. That denial matters, and it should temper the wild headlines that presume guilt before all the facts are on the table.
That said, the footage that alarmed lawmakers shows a second strike that killed two survivors after an initial attack on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel, and those images demand sober answers about how rules of engagement were applied. Americans can both support our fighting men and women and insist on clarity when lethal force is used, especially in complex maritime operations far from home.
This action was not a one-off; it formed part of a broader campaign against narco-traffickers that has included dozens of strikes and dozens of fatalities, a hard-line approach embraced by the administration as necessary to defend American communities from floods of deadly drugs. If the cartels are running near-constant missions to flood our streets with poison, the president and his defense team are right to take the fight to them—but lawful execution and oversight must follow.
Republican lawmakers who saw the video came away with a much different view than the Democrats urging investigations — senators like Tom Cotton explained that the admiral was clear he received no such order, while Democrats described two people in distress. This split is predictable: Republicans want to back commanders and degrade the cartels, Democrats want headlines and political theater.
Let’s call out the hypocrisy when it appears: Secretary Hegseth has publicly stood by Admiral Bradley and the mission, and conservatives should demand that outrage does not become an excuse to hamstring commanders or cede the maritime battlefield to traffickers. Lawmakers should get the evidence they need, but they should not reflexively kneecap a campaign that aims to stop the flow of fentanyl killing Americans at home.
At the same time, transparency matters. Congress is right to seek the legal memos, rules of engagement, and the full video so the public can trust that force was used in accordance with U.S. and international law. There is room for tough oversight that holds bad actors accountable without undermining the ability of our armed forces to protect the nation.
Patriots should demand both strength and integrity: support for the men and women who take the fight to the cartels, and a real, nonpartisan accounting if protocols were violated. The admiral’s testimony that no blanket “kill them all” order was given must be the starting point for reasoned investigation, not the end of a media-driven rush to judgment.
