Another three people were killed in the Caribbean according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who announced Saturday another strike on a sea vessel as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to target supposed “narco-terrorists,” but critics are pushing back against Hegseth for being complicit in what many have labeled “extrajudicial killings.”
“You are nothing but a 'hit man' for Trump,” wrote X user “Jennie M Reed,” who frequently shares content critical of the Trump administration. “Nothing more.”
The Trump administration has accelerated its targeting of suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean in recent weeks, killing at least 64 people that it says were trafficking narcotics to the United States, but members of Congress – including some Republicans – say they haven’t been adequately briefed on the strikes, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) in particular having condemned them as being illegal state-sanctioned executions that deny those executed due process.
“Trump, Hegseth, and senior military commanders murdered 3 more people last night and the homicides near 100 people, and they expect you to take their word for it that they were transporting drugs and accept it,” wrote Ron Filipkowski, a former federal prosecutor, in a social media post on X Sunday. “They murder whoever they want whenever they want.”
The strikes have been accompanied by the Trump administration’s military escalations with Venezuela, which have included the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to just off of Venezuela’s shores.
President Donald Trump has rationalized the targeting of Venezuela by arguing that the nation is responsible for trafficking a significant amount of narcotics into the United States – particularly fentanyl – though findings from U.S. intelligence agencies refute this. U.S. intelligence has assessed that “little to none” of the fentanyl trafficked to the United States is being produced in Venezuela, and that many of the sea vessels struck by the Trump administration did not even have the capacity to even reach American shores.
“Another day, another extrajudicial killing by a wannabe dictator and his drunk secretary of war,” wrote X user “Endri Bejte,” who’s frequently posted content critical of Trump, referencing past allegations against Hegseth for having frequently abused alcohol.
Trump, Hegseth, and senior military commanders murdered 3 more people last night and the homicides near 100 people, and they expect you to take their word for it that they were transporting drugs and accept it. They murder whoever they want whenever they want. pic.twitter.com/8exWESJlpp
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 2, 2025