US lawmakers are trying to pressure the Trump administration to release video of a controversial “double-tap” military strike by limiting Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget.
The incident on 2 September, in which the US carried out a second deadly strike on a boat in the Caribbean, has raised fresh questions about the legality of Trump’s campaign targeting alleged drug-carrying vessels.
A provision buried in a lengthy defence spending policy would restrict travel funds for Hegseth’s office until the Pentagon hands over unedited footage. The bill is expected to pass with support from both parties.
US President Donald Trump says release of the video is something for Hegseth to decide.
Cut the budget, sure.
But also subpoena the video. And release it through Congress.
Also, don’t forget this:
The Constitution gives the House of Representatives “the sole Power of Impeachment” (Article I, Section 2) of federal officers and gives the Senate “the sole Power to try all Impeachments” (Article I, Section 3). In the constitutional procedure of impeachment and removal, the House serves in the role of a grand jury bringing charges against an officer suspected of “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors” (Article II, Section 4).
Last, a criminal referral to the DoJ. DoJ will ignore it, but let’s get them on the record as ignoring it.
Republicans in the House and Senate are not going to impeach anyone. They are getting everything they’ve wanted for decades. Why would they interfere particularly when doing so would make the rabid MAGA voters turn on them?
I’m just listing what Congress could do.
Instead, they are likely to keep self-neutering themselves and only do stuff like “we might cut one tiny portion of your budget by a small amount.”
Congress could be a royal pain Hegseth’s side. Sigh.
Oh no! Not a traveling budget! TRAGEDY!!!
I suppose the plan is to kill Hegseth through self inflicted facepalms during unstoppable laughter.
With Hegseth that might actually work.
Nah. He’ll just waste military budget and use the air force as a charter jet service.
Well, I meant more generally getting himself to facepalm himself to death. I think it’s a strategy worth investigating.