"And now, in what may be his most career-defining moment yet, Hegseth is confronting questions about the use of military force and demands he release the videotapes after a special operations team reportedly attacked survivors of a strike on an alleged drug boat off the coast of Venezuela. Some lawmakers and legal experts say the second strike would have violated the laws of armed conflict."
""These are serious charges, and that's the reason we're going to have special oversight," said Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the Republican chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The scrutiny surrounding Hegseth's brash leadership style is surfacing what has been long-building discontent in Congress over President Donald Trump's choice to helm the U.S. military. And it's posing a potentially existential moment for Hegseth as the congressional committees overseeing the military launch an investigation amid mounting calls from Democratic senators for his resignation."
"Since working to become defense secretary, Hegseth has vowed to bring a "warrior culture" to the U.S. government's most powerful and expensive department, from rebranding it as the Department of War to essentially discarding the rules that govern how soldiers conduct themselves when lives are on the line. Hegseth on Tuesday cited the "fog of war" in defending the follow-up strike, saying that there were explosions and fire and that he did not see survivors in the water when the second strike was ordered and launched."
Hegseth quickly became embroiled in Signalgate after using the Signal messaging app with top officials to discuss pending military strikes. A Pentagon Inspector General report on that matter was delivered to lawmakers. A special operations team reportedly attacked survivors of a strike on an alleged drug boat off Venezuela, prompting demands to release videotapes and allegations the second strike violated the laws of armed conflict. Sen. Roger Wicker called for special oversight. Congressional committees launched an investigation amid growing calls from Democratic senators for resignation. Hegseth has promoted a "warrior culture" and defended actions citing the "fog of war."
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