Dec. 4 (UPI) -- A lethal military strike on a Venezuelan boat this fall has raised scrutiny over illegal orders but military law experts say the Trump administration has made it more difficult for officers to challenge orders.
The Department of Defense has conducted lethal strikes on Venezuelan vessels the United States alleges were trafficking drugs. In one instance, the United States is accused of carrying out a second strike on survivors who were clinging to debris on the open water.
The strike was carried out on Sept. 2. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth denies giving an order to "kill everybody" in what was the first attack on a Venezuelan boat.
Scott Anderson, fellow in governance studies at Brookings Institution, said the attack on survivors is a "textbook" definition of an illegal order.
The Department of Defense's Law of War Manual offers examples of orders and actions that are considered violations of the international laws of armed conflict. This includes targeting civilians or combatants who are "hors de combat," meaning they are injured or disabled and do not pose a threat.
