That Narrative About Hegseth and the Strike on the Drug Boats Just Imploded Even More – RedState
We suddenly heard a growing narrative about a “second strike” on one of the ships the Trump administration hit in a narcoterrorist attack.
The Washington Post claimed, according to “sources,” that a second strike was ordered to kill two survivors clinging to the wreckage of the boat in the water, as instructed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth:
The special operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 attack — the opening salvo in the Trump administration’s war against suspected drug traffickers in the Western Hemisphere — ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions, two people familiar with the matter said.
Hegseth called it “fabricated.”
As we reported earlier, the White House press secretary explained that Hegseth never gave the order to strike the boat a second time.
🚨@PressSec confirms that Sec. The war did NOT give the order to strike the narcoboat a second time, Admiral Bradley did it – and he had every right to do so.
“POTUS and Secretary of State Hegseth have made it clear that the President’s designated narcoterrorist groups are subject to LETHAL targeting in… pic.twitter.com/YcImqBvAjI
– Townhall.com (@townhallcom) December 1, 2025
READ MORE: Washington Post Accuses Pete Hegseth of ‘Illegal Order’ to Kill Drug Dealers, But Is It Real?
Karoline Leavitt’s Statement on Drug Boat Attack Should End Debate, But It Won’t
Now, a New York Times article helps further implode that narrative with important information that supports what the administration is saying: that while Hegseth ordered the initial strike, he had not ordered a second one.
Wait… https://t.co/FVy4oNbWEX pic.twitter.com/KeRmvFg0jx
– Byron York (@ByronYork) December 2, 2025
According to five U.S. officials, who spoke separately and on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter that is under investigation, Mr. Hegseth, before the Sept. 2 attack, ordered a strike that would kill those aboard the boat and destroy the ship and its alleged drug cargo.
But, according to each official, Mr. Hegseth’s directive does not specifically address what should happen if a first missile turns out not to fully accomplish all of these things. And, officials said, the order was not a response to surveillance footage showing at least two people on the boat survived the first explosion.
Admiral Bradley ordered the initial missile strike and then several subsequent strikes that killed the first survivors and sank the disabled boat. As this operation unfolded, they said, Mr. Hegseth gave him no further orders.
This is very different from the image Democrats were trying to promote, that Hegseth was ordering the killing of castaways stranded in the water.
The New York Times also cites officials pointing out another problem with the narrative.
Both officials questioned whether the surviving people were Admiral Bradley’s intended target in the second strike, as opposed to the alleged drugs and the disabled ship. They argued that the purported cargo remained a threat and a legal military target because another boat associated with the cartel could have come to collect it.
Translation? Disabled is not done and is no longer a threat. We were treated to another story of the “48 hour rule”. It is deployed with great fanfare and outrage. Then, as more facts emerge, you realize that’s not what the Democrats were claiming. But it instead helped fuel the Democratic narrative about “illegal orders.”
Hegseth said Bradley had his support 100 percent.
Let’s make one thing clear:
Admiral Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a true professional, and he has my 100% support. I support him and the combat decisions he made – on the September 2 mission and every other since.
America is fortunate to have such men who protect…
– Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) December 1, 2025
The Democrats will have to find something else to sell.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the warrior ethos is returning to the U.S. military.
Help us report on the successes of Trump and Hegseth in making our military great again. Join RedState VIP and use promo code STRUGGLE to benefit from 60% off your membership.
