US defence secretary Pete Hegseth defended a second strike on an alleged drug-carrying boat in the Caribbean by citing the “fog of war.” His remarks came as Pope Leo XIV urged President Trump not to use military force to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Hegseth explained at a White House cabinet meeting that the drug interceptions had been paused because drug-carrying vessels were difficult to locate. He maintained that strikes against drug traffickers would continue regardless. Hegseth said he did not see survivors in the water when the second strike on a boat was launched in early September.
He added that he left the scene after the first strike and believed the admiral in charge had full authority to order the follow-up attack. The Washington Post later reported that Hegseth gave a verbal order for that second strike, which killed survivors.
The White House insisted that Vice Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley acted within his legal authority in carrying it out. Meanwhile, Pope Leo argued that the US should pursue dialogue or economic pressure rather than military force to achieve political change in Venezuela. Maduro, accusing Washington of murder and hidden motives, said Venezuelans were ready to defend their country as tensions rose and US forces carried out multiple strikes on suspected narcotics-carrying boats.