Hawk
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Why Pete Hegseth Does Not Have the Immunity He Thinks He Does
Posted
July 23, 2026
Views
12,910
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July 23, 2026
12,910
1,523
278
13.95%
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7:03Now PlayingWhy Pete Hegseth Does Not Have the Immunity He Thinks He Does
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Watching Pete Hegseth testify before Congress, Hawk kept two things in mind. The first is the Supreme Court's 2024 immunity decision, which he stresses confers immunity for official acts only on the president, not on cabinet members like the Secretary of Defense. The second is the campaign of strikes on boats off the coast of Venezuela.
Hawk lays out the facts as reported. Since last September, Hegseth has reportedly ordered roughly 150 strikes on vessels described by the administration as drug-cartel boats, killing more than 200 people. Hawk notes that none of the vessels have been shown to be capable of reaching the United States, and that the administration has not publicly proven any specific boat carried drugs or that those killed were traffickers. He cites legal and military experts who have characterized these as extrajudicial killings.
His argument is about accountability. If the immunity ruling does not shield cabinet officials, and if crimes like homicide are prosecuted at the state level, then a future pardon from Trump would not reach them. Hawk raises the jurisdictional questions, where Hegseth physically was when orders were given, and hopes a House committee will one day compile evidence for state prosecutors.
#PeteHegseth #DonaldTrump #Venezuela #SupremeCourt #Immunity #BoatStrikes #TomHoman #DefenseDepartment #Pentagon #Accountability #ExtrajudicialKillings #StateCharges #Cartels #DueProcess #ForeignPolicy #Politics #News #BreakingNews #CurrentEvents #Hawk
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