‘Well within his authority’: Leavitt defends as Journos press on Hegseth’s ‘kill everybody’ order

Key Concepts

• September 2nd Strike: A kinetic strike conducted on a vessel in international waters, authorized by Secretary Hegsth and executed by Admiral Bradley.
• Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC): The body of international law that governs the conduct of armed hostilities.
• Self-Defense: A justification for the use of force, permissible under international law.
• Narot Terrorists: Groups designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the administration, subject to lethal targeting.
• Weaponized Justice Department: Allegations that the justice system was misused under the previous administration.
• Presidential Pardon Power: The authority of the President to grant clemency for federal crimes.
• Commutation: The reduction of a sentence.
• Ponzi Scheme: A fraudulent investment operation.
• Venezuela: A country of focus for US national security discussions, including potential troop deployment and leadership engagement.

September 2nd Strike and Law of Armed Conflict

The transcript addresses a specific strike conducted on September 2nd, involving a vessel in international waters. The administration confirms that Secretary Hegsth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct kinetic strikes to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States was eliminated. Admiral Bradley is stated to have acted within his authority and the law.

Key Points:

• Denial of Order vs. Denial of Strike: The administration clarifies that while Secretary Hegsth denied giving a specific order related to the strike, the strike itself did occur. The statement read: "The latter is true. Yay. And I have a a statement to read for you here. President Trump and Secretary Hegsth have made it clear that presidentially designated narot terrorist groups are subject to lethal targeting in accordance with the laws of war. With respect to the strikes in question on September 2nd, Secretary Hegsth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated."
• Justification for the Strike: The strike is described as being conducted in self-defense to protect Americans and vital United States interests. It was carried out in international waters and in accordance with the law of armed conflict.
• Controversy Regarding Survivors: A significant point of contention is the alleged firing on survivors from a wrecked vessel. The Navy's manual of the law of war is cited as stating that firing on survivors is an example of a war crime forbidden under US law and LOAC.
• Administration's Response to Survivor Question: When pressed on the issue of survivors and the lawfulness of a potential second strike on them, the administration reiterates that Admiral Bradley acted within his authority to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat eliminated. They defer further questions about his thinking to the Department of War. The statement: "Again, as I said, I I think you guys are sort of not listening fully to the statement I've provided. Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was totally destroyed and the threat to the narot terrorists to the United States was eliminated. And for any further questions about his thinking, I would defer you to the Department of War."
• No Change in Policy on Survivors: The administration states that, to their knowledge, there was no change in policy regarding the handling of survivors after the September 2nd strike, despite reports of survivors being rescued in October.

Narot Terrorists and Administration Policy

The administration emphasizes the designation of certain narot terrorist groups as foreign terrorist organizations, justifying lethal targeting.

Key Points:

• President's Authority: The President has the authority to eliminate narot terrorists if they threaten the United States and traffic illegal narcotics that are killing citizens.
• Fentanyl Threat: The transcript highlights the significant threat posed by fentanyl trafficking, stating that under the previous administration, enough fentanyl was trafficked to kill every American many times over.
• Contrast with Previous Administration: The current administration's policy is presented as a "drastic difference" compared to the previous one, which is cited as a reason for public support.

Presidential Pardon Power and Commutations

The transcript discusses two instances related to presidential clemency: a pardon for a Honduran president and a commutation for David Gentile.

Key Points:

• Honduran President Pardon: The administration does not believe a pardon for the Honduran president undercuts their messaging on combating drug traffickers, asserting President Trump's commitment to defending the homeland and correcting the "wrongs of the weaponized Justice Department under the previous administration."
• David Gentile Commutation: The commutation of David Gentile's sentence is explained as a response to allegations of a "weaponization of justice." The transcript details that Gentile was the former CEO and co-founder of GBP Capital Holdings. GBP disclosed to investors the possibility of using investor capital for distributions, which the Biden Department of Justice claimed was a Ponzi scheme. The transcript argues this claim was "profoundly undercut" by the explicit disclosure to investors and that the government was unable to tie fraudulent representations to Gentile.

Venezuela Discussions

The transcript touches upon ongoing discussions and potential actions regarding Venezuela.

Key Points:

• National Security Meeting: The President was scheduled to meet with his national security team to discuss Venezuela and other matters.
• Troop Deployment: The administration maintains that many options are on the table regarding Venezuela, including the possibility of US troops on the ground, but defers specific details to the President.
• Engagement with Venezuelan Leader: The President confirmed speaking with the Venezuelan leader, but declined to comment on whether this involved negotiating his departure or an asylum deal.
• Congressional Briefings: The administration has conducted bipartisan briefings for Congress on the Venezuelan strikes, with classified DOJ opinions and other documents made available for review by a significant number of senators and representatives, including a majority of Democrats.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The transcript primarily focuses on defending the administration's actions regarding a specific strike on September 2nd, emphasizing its legality under the law of armed conflict and its justification as an act of self-defense against narot terrorists. The administration asserts its commitment to combating drug trafficking and protecting national security, contrasting its approach with that of the previous administration. The discussion also touches upon presidential clemency, with the commutation of David Gentile's sentence being framed as a correction of past injustices. Finally, the transcript briefly addresses ongoing national security discussions concerning Venezuela, highlighting the range of options being considered and the administration's engagement with Congress. The core argument is that the administration is acting decisively and lawfully to protect the United States from threats, both foreign and domestic, and is rectifying perceived abuses of power from the past.