Washington Post stands by Hegseth 'kill them all' report on boat strike despite testimony denial

Washington Post Stands Firm Behind Allegedly False Report Suggesting War Crime by Top Trump Administration Official

The Washington Post is standing by its explosive report claiming that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordered the deaths of everyone on board an alleged drug boat in a September bombing, despite Pentagon officials and lawmakers denying the allegations.

According to the Post's story published last month, Hegseth gave a directive to "kill them all" before the operation took place. However, Adm. Mitch Bradley, who led the military operation, has repeatedly denied receiving such an order.

"I was very clear that I was given no such order," Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) told reporters on Thursday after attending a closed-door hearing with Bradley. "The admiral confirmed that there had not been a 'kill them all' order, and that there was not an order to grant no quarter."

Bradley testified in the same hearing, stating he did not receive any such directive from Hegseth.

In response to the Post's report, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell called for the outlet to retract its story, labeling it a "hoax" against Hegseth. The Post has maintained that its reporting is based on reliable sources and evidence, but declined to comment further in light of Bradley's testimony and other reports from reputable news outlets.

Critics have pointed out inconsistencies between the Post's initial report and subsequent stories suggesting that the operation was aimed at capturing the survivors, not killing them all. The New York Times published a story headlined, "Hegseth Ordered a Lethal Attack but Not the Killing of Survivors, Officials Say."

In an interview with reporters on Tuesday, Hegseth defended his actions and Bradley's decision-making process, calling it "the fog of war" that cannot be understood by those not directly involved in combat operations. He also stated that reporting false information about American heroes is irresponsible.

Lawmakers have called for investigations into the alleged war crime allegations, with some urging Hegseth to testify before Congress. The controversy surrounding the incident highlights tensions between the Trump administration's foreign policy actions and accusations of wrongdoing by top officials.

As this story continues to unfold, it remains unclear whether Hegseth will face any repercussions from his reported comments on the operation, or if the Post's report ultimately stands as a valid account of events.

OMG, what is going on here? The Washington Post is standing firm but like, why didn't they just retract their story already? And then there's this whole thing with Sen Tom Cotton saying Adm Mitch Bradley said no 'kill them all' order... but wait, isn't that contradictory? I mean, I'm not saying it was true or anything, but can we please get some facts here? The Pentagon is calling it a hoax and now everyone's all bent out of shape. What really went down on this boat? And btw, if the Post didn't do their due diligence then they shoulda at least admitted it . This whole thing has me shook, fam

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing . The Washington Post is standing firm behind their explosive report about Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordering the deaths of everyone on board that alleged drug boat, but it sounds like Pentagon officials and lawmakers are denying those allegations left and right . I mean, I can understand why they'd want to defend themselves, but at the same time, I'm worried about the credibility of the Post's reporting .

I think what really bugs me is that there seems to be some inconsistencies between their initial report and more recent stories suggesting that the operation was actually aimed at capturing survivors, not killing them all . It's like they're trying to backtrack on their own story?

It's also pretty concerning that Hegseth is now calling out the Post for reporting false information about him and his colleagues . I mean, that's just not how journalism works, guys . And what's up with all these lawmakers calling for investigations into this alleged war crime? It feels like they're more interested in scoring points against each other than actually getting to the bottom of things .

One thing is for sure: this whole situation has got everyone on high alert, and I'm not sure when we'll ever know what really happened .

I'm so confused about what really happened with that alleged bombing incident. The Washington Post came out with this super explosive report saying Secretary Pete Hegseth gave an order to kill everyone on board, but now Pentagon officials and lawmakers are denying it. Like, can't we just get the truth here? I'm trying to understand why people are defending Hegseth so much without even considering that maybe he did say something he regrets...

The thing is, if Hegseth really did give such an order, wouldn't it be a huge war crime? Like, isn't that what everyone's so upset about? I'm just hoping for some real answers here. The whole situation feels super suspicious and I want to know what's going on behind the scenes. Maybe we can get to the bottom of this soon?

OMG, like, what is going on here?! The Washington Post is all like "we got the scoop" and then Pentagon officials are all "hey nope, not true" And now it's like a big ol' mess! I'm not sure who to believe anymore. Pete Hegseth seems super salty about the whole thing, defending his actions and blaming the "fog of war". But like, if there was no order to kill everyone on board, then why did the Post write that initial story? It's all very suspicious... I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens next. Maybe Hegseth will spill the beans in front of Congress?

man...this whole thing is just mind-blowing i mean think about it - a major news outlet like the Washington Post is saying this guy did something huge and now everyone's going nuts trying to figure out if it's true or not...and then you got your Pentagon officials and lawmakers denying it all, but still saying there might've been some kinda miscommunication

i'm not gonna take sides here, but i do think it's crazy how quickly the truth is getting lost in all this drama. like, what even happened on that boat? did someone really give an order to kill everyone, or was it just a big misunderstanding? we'll probably never know for sure

anyway...the fact that people are calling out the Post for potentially spreading false info is also super valid. i mean we all know how fast those stories can spread and how easily they can get taken out of context...so yeah, gotta keep a close eye on this one

idk how much longer i can keep quiet about this whole thing... i mean come on , if the washington post is saying one thing and then later saying something else, it's like they're trying to pull a fast one on us . but you know what? i think pete hegseth did order the kill them all thing. not because he was some kind of bad guy or whatever, but because in the heat of battle, sometimes you gotta make tough decisions and that's just how it goes down . and yeah maybe he didn't give a direct order to "kill them all" like the post said, but i'm sure there were some pretty sketchy characters on that boat . and let's be real, we don't know everything about what went down in that op. so shouldn't we just chill for a sec and not jump to conclusions?

I'm not surprised that the Washington Post is standing firm behind their explosive report. They're known for digging deep and asking tough questions, even if it means ruffling some feathers. The fact that Pentagon officials and lawmakers are denying the allegations doesn't necessarily mean they're wrong. It's like when you're driving at night and you can't see a car in front of you - just because you didn't see it, doesn't mean it wasn't there.

The whole thing does seem a bit fishy, though . If Hegseth really did order the deaths of everyone on that boat, why would he do something like that and then claim it was part of some "fog of war" thing? It's all very suspicious. But at the same time, I don't want to assume someone's guilt without more evidence. We need to let this play out and see how it all unfolds.

One thing's for sure, though - the truth is gonna come out eventually. And when it does, we'll all be able to look back on this and say "I told you so" .

"Those in power are not beyond criticism."

I'm really surprised that the Washington Post is still standing by its explosive report about Pete Hegseth ordering the deaths of everyone on board a drug boat. I mean, come on . Pentagon officials and lawmakers are saying it never happened, but the Post is like "nope, we've got sources that say otherwise". And now they're getting roasted for inconsistencies in their story... it's like, if you're gonna make such an outrageous claim, at least double-check your facts first .

I do think it's kinda interesting that everyone's going after Hegseth and the Post for what feels like a huge breach of journalism ethics. I mean, if they made up an entire story from scratch, that's one thing... but if they're basing it on real events and sources (even if those sources are questionable), then you've got to give them some credit for reporting the truth .

But what really gets me is that nobody's talking about the real implications of this whole mess. Like, if Hegseth did indeed order a "kill them all" directive, that's one thing... but if he didn't, and the Post made up a story to sell papers, then we've got some serious problems with our media landscape

This whole thing just feels like a big mess to me... I mean, come on, who orders people to be killed and then claims they didn't? The fact that Hegseth is defending his actions by saying it's all part of the "fog of war" just makes me skeptical. I get where he's coming from in terms of not wanting to be criticized for his decision-making, but at what cost? And now we've got multiple news outlets and politicians weighing in, which is making it even harder to figure out what really went down. Can't we just focus on getting the facts straight here? It's frustrating when journalism gets called into question like this... seems like a perfect storm of politics and patriotism gone wrong

just think about it , if the Washington Post made such an explosive claim without solid proof, can we trust their reporting 100%? I'm not saying it's totally false, but they gotta own up to some inconsistencies in that initial story. And Pete Hegseth's reactions seem pretty defensive ... maybe he's innocent, or maybe his team is covering something up anyway, this whole thing's got me wondering - what happens when reporters and politicians go toe-to-toe on the battlefield of truth?

I think the Washington Post should've fact-checked way more thoroughly before running with that explosive story. It's got all the hallmarks of a big scoop gone wrong, and now we're left with a bunch of contradictory claims and nobody knows what really went down . Meanwhile, Hegseth is getting roasted by some folks who are just trying to protect him from the fallout . The whole thing feels like a big mess, and I'm not sure anyone's coming out looking good

This whole thing is super weird. I mean, can you believe that the Washington Post actually stood by their story despite all these people denying it? It's like, what's going on here? If they're saying that Hegseth ordered a massacre and now everyone's just backing down because some other dude says he didn't get an order, then I'm calling BS. The fact that the Post isn't retracting their story is pretty suspicious to me. Maybe there's something going on here that we don't know about?

can't believe The Washington Post is still standing by that totally fabricated story about Pete Hegseth ordering the deaths of everyone on board that alleged drug boat lol what's next gonna be them saying they know everything about Trump's private life

anywayz like come on Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell calling for the Post to retract their story and labeling it a hoax that's just rich comin from the same ppl who thought Russia Collusion was a thing

omg u cant believe dis! washington post is still standin by their crazy report about pete hegseth orderin ppl to die like who gives u an order 2 kill every1 on a boat? admlt mitch bradley is straight up sayin he didnt get such an order from hegseth and im startin 2 think the washington post mightve made up some pretty wild stuff pence is gettin all bent outta shape over dis and i cant blame him, it sounds like some pretty serious BS to me what do u guys think? should hegseth be held accountable for his actions or is this just a big ol mess of misinformation

OMG, I'm low-key impressed with the Washington Post for sticking to its guns despite all the backlash . It takes courage to publish explosive stories that could potentially tarnish a high-ranking official's reputation. Even if there are inconsistencies in their report, it's still gotta be looked into further.

I mean, can you imagine how frustrating it must've been for the Post's journalists to have their story debunked by Pentagon officials and lawmakers? They're not just reporting on some juicy scandal; they're dealing with potentially life-altering consequences for someone who's supposed to be protecting this country .

That being said, I do think it's a bit sketchy that Hegseth is calling the whole thing "the fog of war" . Sounds like a classic PR move to me. And let's not forget that he's accusing reporters of spreading false info? That's some serious gaslighting right there .

Anyway, I'm all for transparency and accountability in government, so I'll be keeping an eye on this situation . Will Hegseth face any repercussions? Only time will tell

just read that the Washington Post is still standin behind their explosive report about Pete Hegseth orderin people to be killed in that alleged bombing incident... seems pretty fishy to me but hey, if they got reliable sources and evidence, that's all that matters right?

OMG this is getting juicy!!! I'm so invested in this storyline! Pete Hegseth is looking shady and I need more tea . I'm loving the Washington Post for sticking to their guns even when Pentagon officials are trying to debunk them . But at the same time, I gotta wonder... what's really going on behind the scenes? Is it a hoax or is there some truth to this war crime allegations?

omg can't believe the washington post is still standing by that explosive report ! i mean, the guy is saying secretary of war pete hegseth told him to kill everyone on board, but he swears no such thing happened . and now senator tom cotton (r-ark) is coming out all guns blazing too, saying hegseth never gave any order like that . i'm curious to see how this whole thing plays out , especially since it seems like there are some inconsistencies in the original report . and honestly, even if hegseth did say something he didn't mean, shouldn't we just have a conversation about it instead of calling it a "hoax" ? anyway, fingers crossed for transparency