Overview
- The Massachusetts Democrat accused Secretary Pete Hegseth of war crimes in a CNN interview Wednesday and said Nazi submarine captains were executed for similar acts in World War II.
- He alleged Hegseth was behind orders to shoot suspected drug boats and claimed a second strike targeted survivors who were clinging to wreckage.
- Hegseth has said the military uses an evidence‑based process with confirmation of targets before any strike is approved.
- Right‑leaning outlets challenged the reported “double tap,” citing an ABC‑sourced account that two survivors reboarded the boat, handled drug cargo, used phones, and were assessed as still in the fight.
- Reporting on Operation Southern Spear counts at least 55 strikes since September 2025 with at least 186 deaths, underscoring the scale of the campaign and the stakes of the debate.