Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro has claimed that the American public has little interest in the escalating controversy over alleged 'war crimes' linked to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, framing the issue as a political distraction from more pressing domestic concerns.
Dismissing the 'Double Tap' Controversy
During an appearance on NewsNation's CUOMO on Thursday evening, Shapiro brushed aside the legal and ethical questions surrounding a reported 'double tap' boat strike in the Caribbean. The incident, which occurred on September 2, involved a U.S. strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat, followed by a second strike that reportedly killed survivors of the initial attack.
"I don't. I frankly don't think that Americans care very much about what is being reported with regard to Secretary Hegseth," Shapiro told host Chris Cuomo and guest Stephen A. Smith. He insisted that the primary focus for voters remains the cost of living, not the details of military engagements overseas.
Political Distraction or Legitimate Scandal?
Shapiro, co-founder of The Daily Wire, suggested that Democrats were leveraging the story to boost the profile of Senator Mark Kelly and to justify a recent video created by Kelly and five other Democratic senators. That video, which has sparked a Trump administration investigation, featured the lawmakers—all veterans or former intelligence members—reminding active service personnel that they are not obligated to follow illegal orders.
While the video did not cite a specific order, it provoked fury from former President Trump, who accused the senators of sedition. Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin later stated the video was made in response to service members' concerns over repeated strikes on vessels accused of drug trafficking.
The Trump administration and Hegseth have vehemently denied the defence secretary ordered the controversial second strike, maintaining the operation was lawful. Their position received backing on Thursday from Admiral Frank 'Mitch' Bradley, the officer in charge of the September operation, who briefed lawmakers and presented video evidence, asserting Hegseth was not responsible for the follow-up attack.
A Clash of Priorities
Shapiro's comments underscore a deepening political divide. He characterised the intense media coverage as a deliberate diversion. "I'm not even sure what we're arguing about at this point; it does feel like a distraction from other things," he said, echoing rhetoric used by the former president and his allies.
Despite the serious allegations, which some legal experts suggest could constitute a war crime, the administration and its supporters remain steadfast. They continue to justify the strikes as a necessary part of interdicting narcotics shipments, leaving the fundamental conflict between national security actions and international legal norms unresolved and fiercely debated in Washington.
