Sen. Angus King Demands Hegseth’s Calendar After Explosive Second-Strike Allegations
Sen. Angus King is demanding full transparency from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after new reporting revealed that Hegseth was not in the room when a controversial second strike was carried out in the Caribbean — a strike that lawmakers say may violate U.S. and international law.
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Appearing on CNN, King said he wants to see Hegseth’s official calendar for the day of the operation, including where he went, how long he was gone, and what meetings he attended. The scrutiny follows a Washington Post investigation detailing a pair of U.S. strikes on a suspected drug-running boat on Sept. 2 — the first disabling the vessel, and the second targeting survivors in the water.
“If the facts are as alleged,” King said, “that second strike specifically targeting people already in the water would be a stone-cold war crime.”
The Post reports that senior officials initially discussed “no survivors,” though Hegseth denies issuing that order directly. He acknowledges authorizing the first strike but says he “didn’t stick around” for a follow-on decision — leaving Special Operations Commander Frank Bradley to approve the second attack.
King read directly from the Pentagon’s Law of War Manual during his CNN appearance, noting that attacking shipwrecked survivors is explicitly forbidden under U.S. military rules. Legal experts have echoed that point, saying the allegations, if confirmed, could expose the government to criminal liability.
The White House maintains that Bradley acted within his authority and that the operation was lawful. But bipartisan concern is growing on Capitol Hill, with members of both parties calling for release of drone footage, communications logs, and a full timeline of Hegseth’s whereabouts during the strike window.
King says those details are essential: “I want to know where he was. I want to know what he knew and when he knew it.”
Congressional oversight requests are already being drafted, and several lawmakers say subpoenas may be next if the administration refuses to hand over documents.
This story is developing.