ABC News Revelation Changes Narrative on Crew Members' Deaths on Alleged Drug Vessel

The debate surrounding Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth took a new turn after the publication of an ABC News report, which provides additional details about the incident in which two crew members of a vessel suspected of transporting drugs were killed.

For days, figures from the Democratic Party and various media outlets had questioned the actions of Hegseth and the military personnel involved, raising the possibility of excessive use of force.

However, the ABC report introduces a significant nuance to the initial narrative. According to the network, the two crew members who had abandoned ship after the attack later returned to the vessel, apparently with the intention of retrieving the illicit cargo.

According to this version, that decision altered the tactical assessment of the operation, since their return to the point of risk—and in a context where the crew was considered part of a drug trafficking operation—would have placed them once again in a threatening position, making them, from a military perspective, valid targets under the applicable rules of engagement.

The new information has generated mixed reactions. While some analysts maintain that the ABC report could exonerate Hegseth from the accusations circulating in the public debate, others point out that the exact sequence of events and the operational criteria used in the attack still need to be clarified.

What is certain is that the report reopens the discussion about political and operational responsibility in actions against vessels linked to drug trafficking, as well as about how the initial narratives are constructed and disseminated in high-impact incidents.