A former Fox News colleague of Pete Hegseth is now calling for the Defense Secretary to face criminal prosecution due to his controversial boat strikes.
Judge Andrew Napolitano, now a judicial analyst for Newsmax, delivered a strong condemnation on Tuesday while discussing a newly revealed follow-up strike on survivors of a September 2 operation in the Caribbean. The initial attack targeted a small boat that the administration labeled a suspected drug smuggling vessel. The second strike reportedly killed survivors floating in the water, sparking growing outrage in Washington and abroad.
Napolitano, who worked with Hegseth for nearly a decade at Fox News, emphasized that his criticism stemmed from both legal principles and personal discomfort. “It gives me no pleasure to say what I’m about to say. This is an act of a war crime,” he told viewers on Newsmax. The former judge did not soften his words, and he was clear in his assessment.
He went further, stating that everyone involved “should be prosecuted for a war crime for killing these two people.”
Napolitano has long been respected in conservative media for his constitutional insights. Although he often clashed with Trump loyalists during the previous administration, he rarely singled out former Fox colleagues with accusations of criminality. His choice to do so now signals how serious the fallout from these maritime strikes has become.
Former Conservative Judge Andrew Napolitano and Pete Hegseth colleague:
“It gives me no pleasure to say what I’m about to say because I worked with Pete Hegseth for 7 or 8 years at Fox News. This is an act of a war crime, ordering survivors who the law requires be rescued,… pic.twitter.com/zbTKEbs4Q5
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) December 3, 2025
The Trump administration announced the boat strike campaign as a show of force against what it described as “extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels” operating in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. But each new revelation has raised more questions about how targets were identified, who approved the use of lethal force, and whether the Pentagon followed the laws of armed conflict.
One of the airstrikes recently garnered headlines after it was revealed that two survivors were killed by a second missile after the initial explosion. Napolitano characterized that follow-up blast as a clear violation of international law. The administration claims the campaign is lawful, but critics argue that the lack of disclosed intelligence, transparency, and the swift use of lethal force raise serious concerns.
For Hegseth, who has already faced political and public pressure over his handling of the strikes, Napolitano’s comments are a significant blow. The two men have a long professional history at Fox News. Critics inside the Pentagon say that makes the rebuke even more striking. Having someone from within the conservative media, who has legal authority and audience trust, openly use the phrase “war crime” marks a turning point in how people perceive the campaign.
Calls for accountability are also growing in Congress, where several committees are seeking briefings or demanding documents about the strikes. Lawmakers from both parties have quietly voiced unease about the lack of clarity surrounding the chain of command and the intelligence that justified the lethal operations. Napolitano’s remarks are expected to intensify those demands.
Inside the Pentagon, officials have mainly stayed silent as the story unfolds, offering only limited public comments. But the pressure is mounting. Hegseth now faces a legal and political crisis as longtime allies break ranks.
