US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is facing intense bipartisan pressure to resign amidst two simultaneous and serious scandals, including allegations of misusing classified information and potential war crimes. Members from both major US political parties are demanding his immediate departure.
International media reports indicate that one controversy stems from an Inspector General’s report accusing Hegseth of inappropriately handling and utilizing confidential military intelligence. The second, and more legally grave, accusation is that he allegedly ordered attacks on civilian vessels in the Caribbean Sea, which could expose him to formal war crimes charges.
These serious allegations arise in the context of recent US anti-drug missions in the Caribbean, which reportedly involved 22 separate attacks resulting in 87 fatalities.
While President Donald Trump defended the operations, claiming they targeted drug-smuggling boats and ultimately saved 25,000 American lives, the justification has been rejected by Congress. A significant bloc of 116 representatives from the Democratic Caucus criticized the operations as “unnecessary” and “reckless,” arguing they compromised the safety of US personnel.
