By Yi Wei Wong
On November 29, 2025, reports from Bloomberg indicate that Republican-led committees in both the Senate and the House will closely examine the Pentagon. This comes after a report revealed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly commanded the killing of all crew members on a ship suspected of drug trafficking, according to the Washington Post.
The Post previously reported that Hegseth had allegedly given an oral order for all individuals aboard the vessel to be eliminated, referencing anonymous sources.
Senator Roger Wicker, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, along with Senator Jack Reed, the committee's leading Democrat, released a statement on Friday acknowledging these recent reports. They stated that they have initiated inquiries with the Department of Defense and will ensure "vigorous oversight."
Similarly, the leaders of the House Armed Services Committee shared a brief statement on Saturday announcing that they are taking bipartisan steps to investigate the operation.
In response, Hegseth took to social media, claiming that the current military operations in the Caribbean are “lawful under both US and international law.”