1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

Senator, I write to urge your prompt attention to the reported incident involving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and a second lethal strike on a disabled drug boat in the Caribbean in September. Reports indicate that two survivors were clinging to wreckage when a follow-on strike was allegedly ordered to kill everyone. SEAL Team 6 carried out the mission. This strike is one of at least twenty similar operations that have resulted in more than eighty deaths. The Senate Armed Services Committee has already opened an inquiry and committed to strong oversight. I encourage you to support that effort. Top military lawyers have warned that these actions may constitute extrajudicial killings and potential war crimes under United States and international law. Allies such as the United Kingdom have reportedly limited intelligence sharing because of concerns about the legal basis for these strikes. That should signal the seriousness of the situation. The administration has conducted these operations without congressional authorization. This raises urgent questions about the unchecked use of lethal force by the executive branch. Legal scholars warn that proceeding this way could set harmful precedents at home and abroad. I ask you to press for full transparency, insist on strict accountability, and reaffirm Congress’s role in authorizing military force. I hope you will defend the rule of law and protect the integrity of our democratic institutions through strong and decisive oversight.