Rep. Adam Smith Questions Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth on Alleged 'Take No Prisoners' Order

Bipartisan Inquiry into Alleged Second Boat Strike

• 🎯 Rep. Adam Smith discusses the bipartisan action taken with Rep. Rogers to get a full accounting of an operation in question.
• ❓ The primary unanswered question is whether a second strike occurred on a drug boat after two survivors remained.
• 🗣️ Secretary Hegseth has reportedly called the reports "fake news" but has not directly denied the specific allegations.

Concerns Over Legality and Justification of Strikes

• ⚖️ A significant concern is the legality of using lethal force on boats allegedly carrying drugs thousands of miles from the U.S.
• 🏛️ Rep. Smith questions the justification for these actions if the U.S. is not officially at war, as congressional authorization would typically be required.
• 📜 The administration's justification, based on a classified memo from the Office of Legal Counsel, presents a contradiction by stating the groups are at war with the U.S. while simultaneously claiming the U.S. is not in hostilities.

Frustration with Pentagon's Lack of Transparency

• 📉 Rep. Smith expresses frustration with the Department of Defense's reluctance to share information, noting it's unprecedented in his 15 years as ranking member.
• 🚫 He criticizes the perceived attitude that the law does not apply to the Secretary of Defense and that oversight is not respected.
• 📰 The incident is highlighted alongside other actions, such as kicking media out of the Pentagon, as examples of a lack of accountability.

Questioning the 'Naroterrorist' Designation and Authority

• 🚨 The administration argues that military operations against alleged naroterrorist boats do not rise to the level of hostilities requiring congressional approval.
• ⚠️ This raises the question of why the action is being taken if the boats do not represent significant threats, suggesting the military's response could be extreme.
• 📜 Rep. Smith emphasizes that the Department of Defense is not the Department of War, and changing this designation requires congressional action, underscoring the importance of adhering to existing laws.
• ⚠️ He warns that a Secretary of Defense who believes they can act with impunity is dangerous for the country.