Military officials under Hegseth have thus far refused to provide lawmakers with critical information about the fatal strikes against boats in the Caribbean

Pete Hegseth’s Department of Defense is reportedly directing military officials to sign non-disclosure agreements. Three U.S. officials told Reuters that the order extends to personnel connected to the Trump administration’s lethal strikes on vessels in the Caribbean—attacks the administration claims targeted ships smuggling drugs from Venezuela.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arrived in Hawaii Monday morning. This is the first leg on Hegseth’s trip, which will take him to Japan next, then Malaysia, Vietnam, and South Korea.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that the U.S. military has carried out its ninth strike against alleged drug vessels. This is the second strike in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

A rumor that circulated online in October 2025 claimed (archived) zookeeper and conservationist Robert Irwin filed a $60 million lawsuit against U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.  According to the story,

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is set to hold talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi in Tokyo on Wednesday, as Japan strives to fortify its defence posture and strengthen its decades-old alliance with the United States.

The mid-October memo signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would “throttle” communication between the committee and the Pentagon, said Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces panel.

Watch live coverage as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth holds a joint press conference with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in Tokyo.