White House upholds legality of Caribbean counternarcotics operation: 'The president has the right to take them out if they are threatening the United States of America'

The White House confirmed Monday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized a second strike against a vessel linked to drug trafficking in the Caribbean in September. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, noted that the order was issued under the legal framework governing operations against narco-terrorist organizations designated by the president.

As she explained, Hegseth gave authorization to Admiral Frank Bradley to carry out the follow-up action after the initial attack, which - according to previous reports - left two people clinging to the hull of the burning vessel. Leavitt said the move is part of the Administration's strategy to neutralize threats associated with drug trafficking which, she said, pose direct risks to national security.

During the press conference, the spokeswoman reiterated that both President Trump and Hegseth have established that groups deemed narcoterrorists are subject to lethal action within the parameters of the laws of war. She also underscored the president's authority in these decisions and quoted, "The president has the right to take them out if they are threatening the United States of America, if they are bringing illegal narcotics that are killing our citizens at a record rate, which is what they are doing."

Response to Washington Post report

The statements follow a report by the Washington Post that generated questions about the chain of command and the legality of the orders issued. The report claimed that Hegseth reportedly gave a verbal instruction to "kill everyone" prior to the initial attack, prompting concerns from lawmakers of both parties and requests to review whether the operation met international standards.

However, the Administration maintains its defense of the Pentagon and the chain of command responsible for the Sept. 2 operations, insisting that they acted within their lawful authority and with the goal of deterring future threats in the region.