NewsNation host Leland Vittert took Democrats and the liberal media to city Monday evening over their newfound obsession with Secretary of Battle Pete Hegseth’s alleged “warfare crime” dedicated in early September. The On Stability host reduce via the noise by arguing the affordable and apparent: the strikes within the Caribbean have been warranted and never unprecedented, and that Democrats have all the time misplaced when going after President Trump on widespread sense points.
After reporting the details of the case, Vittert performed a brief compilation of clips from CNN’s The Scenario Room, Chuck Todd on his podcast with Chris Cillizza, and Joe Scarborough on MS NOW’s Morning Joe, all of which have been essential of the Trump administration’s actions:
The Washington institution is just horrified that the Trump administration is killing drug runners, and so they need you to be horrified as effectively. They usually’re completely satisfied. You’ll be able to see that of their pensive smiles. As a result of to them this would be the subject that lastly ends the Trump Presidency, or at the very least defangs Trump. Trump is doing what he does in each certainly one of these conditions: he stays defiant.
Vittert then offered a quick historical past lesson to show that the administration’s latest marketing campaign in opposition to drug traffickers the truth is had precedent, citing comparable actions taken by former Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama in Colombia and Peru: “I do not bear in mind anyone being charged with warfare crimes. […] But when Trump does it, we’re to imagine that it’s utterly unacceptable.” Different networks have not needed to acknowledge there have been comparable actions by different presidents.
The opposite main level of Vittert’s argument: “When Democrats try and carry down Trump and Hegseth on the method, on the principles, it is a dropping argument.”
Vittert didn’t even want to tug out a textbook to recall Democrat-darling Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador:
… minor downside for Democrats, he had ties to MS-13, robust ties. Democrats again then have been arguing the method, the principles, the due technique of how precisely he was extradited and why this was horrible, after which Kristi Noem was gonna get fired, and it was gonna carry down the Trump administration. It did not work for Democrats then, it isn’t going to work for them now.
To not point out the “Russia, Russia, Russia” hoax, his two impeachments, and numerous lawsuits filed in opposition to him in-between his two phrases. It’s been a futile witch hunt.
In conclusion, primarily based on Presidential precedent and the left’s TDS habit, the inevitable endgame of the previous few days’ controversy was clear:
Arguing over the ins and outs of worldwide legislation and whether or not or not Hegseth violated it’s a pointless train […] To most affordable People, blowing up boats bringing medication into America is smart. Name it widespread sense. When Democrats tried to defeat Trump on course of points, on widespread sense points, they lose each time. They get excited, it is like Lucy and the soccer. They suppose that is going to be the time. Each time this occurs, it truly makes Trump stronger.
Solely time would inform whether or not the newest assaults in opposition to Hegseth, Admiral Bradley, Joint Chief of Employees Chairman Caine or whoever else will truly stick. Evidently, Trump will most definitely come out unscathed and fairly probably, for the umpteenth time, vindicate
The transcript is under. Click on “develop” learn:
NewsNation’s On Stability with Leland Vittert
December 1, 2025
9:01:33 p.m. EST
LELAND VITTERT: When you watch TV this morning, a lot of the media and Democrats couldn’t include their glee, {that a} “double faucet” strike on a ship that was working medication is likely to be the top of Pete Hegseth’s time as Secretary of Battle. The Washington Put up experiences Hegseth ordered the Navy to, quote, “Kill all of them,” talking of the alleged drug smugglers aboard a ship leaving Venezuela. The Navy admiral in control of the strike then allegedly ordered a second missile strike on survivors of the primary strike.
[Cuts to clip]
FMR. DEFENSE SEC. LEON PANETTA [on The Situation Room, 12/01/25]: I do not suppose there’s any query that that is a warfare crime.
ELIE HONIG [on The Situation Room, 12/01/25]: Nicely, Wolf, they have been, in a phrase, unlawful.
CHUCK TODD [on Chris and Chuck Chat!, 12/01/25]: It is the kiss of dying. It’s — look, we all know who the autumn man goes to be.
JOE SCARBOROUGH [on Morning Joe, 12/01/25]: It’s a harmful time legally for Pete Hegseth. It will get extra harmful if he’s spending this time furiously going round making an attempt to cowl it up.
[Cuts back to live]
VITTERT: The Washington institution is just horrified that the Trump administration is killing drug runners, and so they need you to be horrified as effectively. They usually’re completely satisfied. You’ll be able to see that of their pensive smiles. As a result of to them this would be the subject that lastly ends the Trump Presidency, or at the very least defangs Trump. Trump is doing what he does in each certainly one of these conditions: he stays defiant.
[Cuts to clip]
PRES. DONALD TRUMP [on 11/30/25]: And Pete mentioned he mentioned he didn’t need them — he did not even know what folks have been speaking about. So, we’ll have a look at — we’ll look into it. However no, I would not have needed that, not the second strike.
[Cuts back to live]
VITTERT: Okay, so Hegseth is distancing himself a bit bit after a gathering within the Oval Workplace. He wrote on X, “Admiral Mitch Bradley is an American hero, [a] true skilled, [and] has my 100% assist. I stand by him and the fight selections he has made — on the September 2 mission and all others since.”
So, it doesn’t matter what actually occurred there and each within the Pentagon after which what occurred truly to the smugglers and the boat, these actions are nothing new. The Clinton administration shot down greater than a dozen drug trafficking planes close to Colombia and Peru from 1995 to 2001. I do not bear in mind anyone being charged with warfare crimes. Bush’s CIA began and Obama’s continued a covert motion in Colombia that killed dozens of revolutionaries from 2007 via 2013.
But when Trump does it, we’re to imagine that it’s utterly unacceptable. You’re unexpectedly listening to all of those phrases: the principles of warfare, the principles of engagement, legal guidelines of armed battle, worldwide legislation, the Geneva Conference.
This may simply be a political statement, but it surely’s additionally a human statement. No person appreciated the corridor monitor in highschool, or the RA, the particular person in faculty who informed you could not drink after 10 p.m. within the dorms. No person likes these folks. When Democrats try and carry down Trump and Hegseth on the method, on the principles, it is a dropping argument.
Keep in mind simply a few months in the past, Democrats have been dropping their minds over the Maryland man deported to El Salvador. Kilmar Abrego Garcia became a family identify and a family hero. And sure, minor downside for Democrats, he had ties to MS-13, robust ties. However Democrats again then have been arguing the method, the principles, the due technique of how precisely he was extradited and why this was horrible, after which Kristi Noem was gonna get fired, and it was gonna carry down the Trump administration. It did not work for Democrats then, it isn’t going to work for them now. Arguing over the ins and outs of worldwide legislation and whether or not or not Hegseth violated it’s a pointless train, and this is why.
To most affordable People, blowing up boats bringing medication into America is smart. Name it widespread sense. When Democrats tried to defeat Trump on course of points, on widespread sense points, they lose each time. They get excited, it is like Lucy and the soccer. They suppose that is going to be the time. Each time this occurs, it truly makes Trump stronger.
