Broadcaster Megyn Kelly has sparked controversy by stating that former President Donald Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth were "too easy" on the men killed in US military strikes against alleged Venezuelan drug-running boats. The SiriusXM host defended the pair as they faced outrage over the lethal operations, suggesting the Pentagon showed excessive mercy.
Kelly's Controversial Defence of Lethal Strikes
During her show, Kelly expressed a stark view on the treatment of the alleged narcotics traffickers. "I really do kind of not only want to see them killed in the water, whether they’re on the boat or in the water, but I’d really like to see them suffer," she stated. While acknowledging that the military should not commit war crimes, she argued their deaths were a fitting response for "bringing mass amounts of drugs into America."
Kelly dismissed the subsequent political outrage as "manufactured" by Democrats attempting to deflect from lawmakers who ordered troops to defy what she termed Trump's "illegal" orders. She framed the issue in personal terms, citing the threat of fentanyl to American children. "Nor do I really care that we’re killing the drug boat guys trying to kill my kids and yours," she added.
White House Under Scrutiny for Caribbean Operations
The administration has authorised over 20 strikes on suspected drug-running vessels in the Caribbean, resulting in more than 80 deaths. The White House has been posting declassified videos of these operations and faces a cascade of critical headlines and congressional scrutiny.
At Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, Trump robustly defended the actions. "We're taking those son of a b****es out," he declared when questioned about a September mission that required multiple airstrikes. He criticised President Biden for allowing drugs into the US "at record numbers."
Secretary Pete Hegseth, fielding detailed questions, defended the commanding officer, Admiral Frank Bradley, stating he was "well within his lane" in ordering follow-up strikes. He compared the approach to counter-terrorism, asking, "How do you treat al Qaeda and ISIS?... Or you end the problem directly by taking a lethal, kinetic approach?"
War Crime Allegations and Geopolitical Tensions
Democrats in Congress have likened the attacks to potential war crimes, arguing that under international law, targeting the wounded is prohibited. A Washington Post report last Friday claimed Hegseth gave verbal orders to ensure there were no survivors—an allegation the White House strongly denies and the Daily Mail has not verified.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, "Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law." The administration maintains the strikes are in defence of American citizens, with Trump opening the door to action against other drug-producing nations, not just Venezuela.
The US has significantly bolstered its military presence in the region, deploying nearly a dozen warships, a submarine, over 70 aircraft, and 15,000 soldiers. Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been seen dancing to anti-war songs at rallies, signalling a desire to avoid open conflict.
The debate is fuelled by the devastating toll of the opioid crisis. Estimates suggest a quarter of a million Americans have died from fentanyl-related overdoses since 2021. However, analysts note that most fentanyl enters the US from Mexico, not Venezuela, which is primarily a source of cocaine.
