Admiral Forced Out After Questioning Legality of Trump Drug-Boat Strikes

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth asked U.S. Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey to retire in October after Holsey expressed concerns about the legality of the Trump administration’s boat bombings in the Caribbean, according to a new report. (Pentagon photos)

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Admiral Forced Out After Questioning Legality of Trump Drug-Boat Strikes

Marc Kennedy - National-Politics
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WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth forced the early departure of Adm. Alvin Holsey, the four-star Navy officer overseeing U.S. military operations in the Caribbean and Latin America, after Holsey raised concerns about the legality of lethal strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats.

Background on Admiral Holsey
Adm. Alvin Holsey, 60, is a career Navy officer and helicopter pilot who took command of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) roughly a year ago. SOUTHCOM oversees U.S. military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, including the maritime mission that targeted alleged Venezuelan drug-running vessels.

Holsey’s tenure was expected to last several years, in line with typical combatant-commander tours. Instead, his exit was announced by Hegseth on October 16, stunning lawmakers and defense analysts who described the move as highly unusual in the middle of an expanding campaign.

Discord Over Drug-Boat Strikes
Reporting indicates that Holsey’s relationship with Hegseth deteriorated over months of discord, culminating in the Trump administration’s decision to escalate bombing of alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.

Holsey reportedly questioned the murky legal basis for targeting and killing suspected traffickers at sea, including follow-on strikes against survivors from at least one destroyed vessel. He is said to have argued that aspects of the operation fell outside his direct chain of command and raised broader concerns about compliance with U.S. and international law.

According to accounts, tensions peaked during a confrontation at the Pentagon in early October. During that meeting, Hegseth allegedly told Holsey, “You’re either part of the team or you’re not. When you’re given an order, you act swiftly and refrain from questioning.”

Shortly afterward, Hegseth requested Holsey’s resignation. The admiral agreed to step down and later announced he would retire effective December 12.

Hegseth’s Role and Justification
Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Army veteran elevated to the Pentagon’s top job under Trump, framed Holsey’s departure publicly as a routine leadership change but has faced mounting scrutiny since additional details emerged.

Previous reporting indicated Hegseth had become disenchanted with Holsey’s performance and wanted him removed—an account the Pentagon initially denied. Follow-up reporting now indicates Hegseth directly asked Holsey to step aside after the admiral questioned the Caribbean mission’s legality.

Separate investigations have focused on a September strike in which Hegseth allegedly ordered that everybody on a targeted drug boat be killed, including through a second strike that hit surviving sailors—an action critics say could constitute a war crime. Navy Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley has been identified in some accounts as the officer who issued the immediate tactical order under Hegseth’s authority.

Hegseth has dismissed accusations of unlawful conduct as fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory, insisting the operations were justified under the rules of engagement and the fog of war.

Reaction From Congress and Experts
Members of Congress in both parties, along with veteran military officials, have described Holsey’s forced resignation as unprecedented in the middle of an active campaign that the Pentagon itself has labeled critical to regional security.

Adam Smith of Washington, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said he could not recall a combatant commander being removed this early in a mission amid such chaos in more than two decades on the panel. Other lawmakers have called for hearings into both the drug-boat operations and the decision to sideline Holsey.

International narcotics and law-enforcement officials have likewise expressed alarm. One senior State Department official reportedly called the move astonishing, warning that removing Holsey at such a sensitive moment sent a chilling message to commanders who raise legal or ethical concerns.

Holsey himself has not publicly detailed his reasons for leaving, issuing only a brief resignation statement on X announcing his retirement date and thanking service members under his command.

Broader Pattern of Military Shake-Ups
Holsey’s ouster comes amid a broader pattern of abrupt leadership changes at the Pentagon under Hegseth. News reports and congressional aides have documented a series of firings, delayed promotions and canceled assignments affecting senior officers across the services, often with little explanation.

Critics argue that the moves reflect an ideological purge of commanders viewed as insufficiently loyal or too willing to question controversial orders, potentially undermining the norm of apolitical military professionalism. Supporters counter that Hegseth is rightly insisting on aggressive leadership to carry out Trump’s directives on border security, counternarcotics and other priorities.

Unanswered Questions
Key questions now facing Congress and investigators include whether the rules of engagement and legal reviews for the Caribbean strikes complied with U.S. and international law; to what extent Holsey documented his objections through internal channels; whether his removal was retaliatory in nature, aimed at silencing dissent; and how the leadership shake-up has affected U.S. Southern Command’s readiness and regional relationships.

Lawmakers have already begun seeking Holsey’s testimony about the events leading to his resignation, setting the stage for potentially explosive public hearings in the coming months.