George Will Torches Pete Hegseth As ‘War Criminal Without a War’ In Scathing Op-Ed

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images)

George Will blasted Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as a seeming “war criminal” without a war in a scathing op-ed.

Will wrote in a Washington Post op-ed on Tuesday that Hegseth has seemingly turned himself into a “war criminal” based on strikes on alleged drug boats leaving Venezuela. According to a report from The Washington Post, citing sources familiar with the situation, Hegseth ordered everyone aboard the boat to be eliminated, prompting critics to question whether he is guilty of a war crime.

“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seems to be a war criminal. Without a war. An interesting achievement,” Will wrote in his op-ed, which was highly critical of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy.

Will argued in his op-ed that Hegseth had no justification for the alleged order, which would have reportedly taken place in early September.

“No operational necessity justified Hegseth’s de facto order to kill two survivors clinging to the wreckage of one of the supposed drug boats obliterated by U.S. forces near Venezuela,” he wrote.

Trump’s strikes on foreign boats have already raised bipartisan alarms.

According to the Post report, Hegseth ordered everyone to be killed after a boat strike in September. After the strike, two survivors reportedly remained and a second strike killed the survivors. The U.S. has claimed Venezuela is smuggling drugs into the United States. Officials, including the president, have alleged Nicolás Maduro, whose election win has been contested, is behind the alleged drug smuggling operation.

Hegseth blamed the situation on the “fog of war” while speaking at the White House.

“I did not personally see survivors, but I stand—because the thing was on fire,” he said. “It was exploded and fire and smoke. You can’t see anything. You got digital. This is called the fog of war. This is what you and the press don’t understand.”