Hegseth Confirms Report On Trump Easing Rules On Military Raids, Airstrikes

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Friday that he received President Trump’s approval to repeal restrictions on military raids and airstrikes, signaling a stark shift away from regulations imposed during the previous administration. 

The Pentagon leader said CBS News was “correct” in its reporting of a directive signed earlier this month in Germany that would ease restraints and executive oversight on foreign American airstrikes. 

Hegseth formally approved the change in a meeting with senior U.S. military leaders from the U.S. Africa Command.

The directive broadens the range of people who can be targeted in attacks and no longer solely focuses on striking senior leadership of terrorist organizations, as permitted under the Biden and Obama administrations, according to the outlet.

To mitigate civilian harm, the U.S. Africa command categorizes airstrikes as either deliberate or defensive, each outlined through different approval processes, its website notes.

Defensive airstrikes are used "in limited circumstances where U.S. or specifically designated partner forces are in imminent danger from hostile forces.” Deliberate attacks must be reviewed and ultimately determined by military lawyers who decide if those being targeted for an airstrike "are legal combatants under the law of armed conflict."

Hegseth fired three military lawyers on Monday, describing them as “roadblocks” to "orders that are given by a commander in chief." The move comes after the Trump administration dismissed the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other high ranking military leaders from apolitical posts. 

The Defense secretary has prioritized the “lethality” of the armed forces by “reviving warrior ethos” in an effort to advance the president’s objectives at home and abroad.

“My job, my job alone, as the secretary of Defense, is to ensure he has the strongest, most capable, most lethal military possible. Heaven forbid we have to use it,” Hegseth during a NATO press conference.

“It's meant and built for deterrence. But if we have to, we can close with and destroy our enemies and bring our men and women home with success as quickly as possible.”