US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday (December 6, 2025) strongly defended the Trump administration’s controversial maritime strike campaign targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels, insisting that President Donald Trump has complete authority to order military action in the name of national security.
Hegseth made the remarks during a keynote speech at the Reagan National Defense Forum held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California.
What was the domestic reaction to US maritime strikes?
The ongoing strikes, which have reportedly killed more than 80 people, have come under sharp scrutiny in Washington.
Lawmakers from both parties have raised questions about the legality of the operations, their compliance with international law, and whether US forces were instructed to launch a second strike in September despite Pentagon awareness that survivors remained from the earlier attack.
Critics argue the campaign lacks transparency and risks setting a dangerous precedent for the use of military force in counter-narcotics missions.
How did Hegseth react to the criticisms?
Hegseth dismissed those concerns, drawing a direct comparison between the current operations and America’s early post-9/11 counter-terrorism strategy.
“If you’re working for a designated terrorist organization and you bring drugs to this country in a boat, we will find you, and we will sink you,” he declared.
“President Trump can and will take decisive military action as he sees fit to defend our nation’s interests.”
However, analysts note that the analogy between drug traffickers and global terror groups is tenuous, cautioning that the strategic context and threat landscape differ significantly.
What’s the context of Hegseth’s statements?
Hegseth’s comments came just after the administration unveiled its updated national security strategy, which outlines a tougher line on European allies and reasserts Washington’s intent to maintain dominance in the Western Hemisphere.
He also sharpened the administration’s stance on China, calling for countering Beijing “through strength” and reiterating Trump’s pledge to resume nuclear testing, a move that has alarmed non-proliferation experts, as neither China nor Russia has conducted explosive tests in decades.
Framing Trump as the ideological successor to Ronald Reagan, Hegseth blasted previous Republican leaders for supporting Middle East interventions and dismissed climate-related security concerns as distractions from core defence priorities.