(NewsNation) — Lawmakers from both parties said Sunday they support congressional reviews of U.S. military strikes against vessels suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, citing a published report that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order for all crew members to be killed as part of a Sept. 2 attack.
The lawmakers said they did not know whether last week’s Washington Post report was true, and some Republicans were skeptical, but they said attacking survivors of an initial missile strike poses serious legal concerns.
“This rises to the level of a war crime if it’s true,” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.
Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, when asked about a follow-up strike aimed at people no longer able to fight, said Congress does not have information about what happened. He noted that leaders of the Armed Services Committee in both the House and Senate have opened investigations.
“Obviously, if that occurred, that would be very serious, and I agree that that would be an illegal act,” Turner said.
President Trump told reporters on Sunday that he had “great confidence” in his defense chief, adding that Hegseth had denied giving such orders. Trump said Hegseth told him “he did not say that, and I believe him, 100 percent.”
Hegseth rejected the Post’s story as “fake news,” emphasizing the attacks are intended to be “lethal, kinetic strikes.”
“The declared intent is to stop lethal drugs, destroy narco-boats, and kill the narco-terrorists who are poisoning the American people. Every trafficker we kill is affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization,” he said in a post on the social platform X.
The questions about the strike and Hegseth’s role come as tensions reach a new high point with Venezuela amid speculation of a full-on military confrontation with the South American country.
NewsNation affiliate The Hill contributed to this report.