1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

I am writing out of a deep concern for our military, the rule of law, and the constitutional order that protects this country. Credible reporting about the September 2 boat strike off Venezuela raises serious questions that require immediate congressional oversight. Major news outlets have reported that the operation involved an initial strike on a small vessel, followed by a second strike that killed survivors seen in the water. According to reporting from sources with direct knowledge, those survivors no longer posed an immediate threat. Military law experts have noted that if these accounts are accurate, the individuals may have been hors de combat — shipwrecked persons protected under U.S. military law and the laws of war. The Pentagon’s own Law of War Manual forbids any directive issued “on the basis that there shall be no survivors.” At the same time, administration accounts of what happened have shifted. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth first dismissed the reporting as “fabricated.” The White House later acknowledged a second strike occurred and said it was carried out by a U.S. admiral under delegated authority. Secretary Hegseth then publicly supported the admiral’s decisions. These inconsistencies raise serious concerns about who authorized what and whether Congress has been fully informed. Members of Congress from both parties — including veterans — have already expressed alarm. Some have said the reported strike was “completely outside” anything Congress had been briefed on. A decorated Navy combat pilot in the Senate warned that the conduct described is dangerous in the hands of someone within the nuclear command structure. Another Senator stated that if the facts are as reported, the second strike could constitute a grave violation of law. What is uncontested is that the Secretary of Defense does not act alone. Under the Constitution, the President is the Commander in Chief, and the Trump Administration oversaw this maritime campaign. Congress must determine whether unlawful orders were issued, whether political pressure influenced legal reviews, and whether oversight failures contributed to the events now under scrutiny. This is not simply a policy matter. It is a question of constitutional stability, military integrity, and whether American troops can trust that their leaders will not place them in legally indefensible situations. I urge you to act: investigate Secretary Hegseth’s conduct, examine the administration’s role in authorizing these operations, require the release of the legal rationale, and reaffirm that U.S. service members must never follow unlawful orders and will be protected when they uphold the law. Our military — and our country — rely on accountability and truth.