“We’re Being Lied To”: Swalwell Blows Open Conflicting Stories on Deadly Strike
Rep. Eric Swalwell delivered some of his sharpest criticism yet of the Trump administration’s handling of the controversial U.S. military strike in the Caribbean, telling MSNOW viewers that the American public is “being lied to” about the decision-making behind the operation. The strike, already under scrutiny for a suspected “double-tap” that killed survivors after the initial blast, has raised legal and ethical questions inside Washington and among international law experts.
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Swalwell focused much of his criticism on Pete Hegseth, the former Fox News host turned senior Pentagon official, saying Hegseth is “wholly unqualified, overflowing with ego, and dangerous.” He compared him to other Trump-era figures such as Kash Patel, arguing that none of them should be anywhere near the levers of military power. “They should all be on podcasts,” he said. “They shouldn’t be in power.”
The California Democrat said the administration has not justified its use of force or presented the evidence behind the strike, which targeted what officials described as drug-running boats. Swalwell noted reports indicating the vessels weren’t even headed toward the United States, raising further concerns about the administration’s shifting explanations. As a former prosecutor, he said the refusal to show evidence does not project strength. “It doesn’t make you strong and tough to just thump your chest,” he said. “It makes you mean, and it makes you less American.”
He also rejected early attempts by some commentators to describe the attack as a potential war crime, saying that doing so implicitly accepts the administration’s framing despite no formal declaration of war. Instead, he argued the incident appears closer to “crime crimes” based on the public information available.
Swalwell closed by reiterating that Hegseth should not remain in government. “He’s been there for 320 days too long,” he said, warning that the combination of secrecy, shifting narratives, and unqualified leadership poses a growing danger as the administration escalates its use of force abroad.