Hegseth announces more deadly boat strikes as troops worry about legal liabilities

Concerns Over Legal Liabilities Amid Rising Death Toll

Junior military officers are seeking legal protections due to the increasing death toll from strikes on civilians ordered by Trump.

Recently, Trump authorized his 10th deadly military strike against civilian targets in international waters, raising the overall death toll. According to the Republican administration's count, 43 civilians were killed over seven weeks.

Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona described the strikes as "sanctioned murder," while Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky referred to them as "extrajudicial killings ... akin to what China does and Iran does."

The senators' strong rhetoric, however, appears to have had little impact on the White House or Trump's Pentagon.

Author's summary: Trump's strikes on civilians raise concerns about legal liabilities.

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MSNBC MSNBC — 2025-10-29

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