Tom Cotton Demands Washington Post Apology After Report On Lethal Drug-Boat Strike

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on Sunday called on The Washington Post to apologize to Defense Secretary-designate Pete Hegseth and Adm. Mitch Bradley after the paper reported that Hegseth ordered a so-called "double tap" strike that killed survivors of a suspected drug-smuggling vessel.

Context And Dispute

Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Cotton defended U.S. operations aimed at destroying drug-running boats, saying they target networks that are "poisoning and killing Americans." He disputed The Washington Post's account that Hegseth effectively ordered a follow-up strike that killed two survivors of an initial Sept. 2 attack, calling that characterization "slander." Cotton said intelligence assessed with high confidence that the vessel carried only traffickers and no innocents.

"It was entirely appropriate to strike the boat again to make sure that its cargo was destroyed," Cotton said. "It is in no way a violation of the law of war, and I think The Washington Post owes Secretary Hegseth, and especially Adm. Mitch Bradley… an apology for that slander."

Reporting And Responses

The Post published a prominent headline last month stating, "Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all," and reported that after the initial strike left two people "clinging to the smoldering wreck," a follow-up strike killed them both allegedly following Hegseth's instructions. The Post also noted that some current and former U.S. officials and law-of-war experts have raised legal concerns about a Pentagon campaign that it said has killed more than 80 people to date.

Officials have offered competing accounts. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote on X that The Washington Post "must retract their story," calling it a "hoax" against Hegseth. Cotton and other Pentagon officials have said Bradley did not issue an explicit "kill them all" order. Meanwhile, reporting from ABC and other outlets cited sources who said the two survivors reboarded the vessel after the first strike, appeared to be communicating or salvaging drugs, and were therefore treated as continuing threats.

The Washington Post has stood by its reporting. A Post spokesperson told Fox News Digital the paper is "proud of its rigorous, accurate reporting." Fox News Digital also said it reached out to The Post for further comment.

Broader Debate

The episode underscores broader disputes about the legality and oversight of lethal operations against maritime drug trafficking, as well as questions about public accountability for decisions made during such strikes. Cotton framed the operations as part of an effort to prevent drugs reaching American communities and said he wants the campaign to continue.

Reporting Credits: Fox News Digital's Joseph Wulfsohn contributed to this report.