Hegseth Brags of a Deadlier War Machine As U.S. Unleashes “Devastating Civilian Harm Globally”
During a congressional hearing on April 29, 2026, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth defended the expansion of U.S. military operations under President Donald Trump, dismissing concerns about rising civilian casualties and adherence to the laws of war. Experts and human rights researchers cite a sharp increase in civilian harm across multiple conflict zones globally during Trump’s second term, surpassing the toll from his first term. The U.S. has conducted military actions across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, South America, and the Pacific, with reports of significant civilian deaths and damaged infrastructure.
- ▪Secretary of War Pete Hegseth testified before the House Armed Services Committee on April 29, 2026, asserting the U.S. military fights to win and dismissing concerns about civilian harm and rules of engagement.
- ▪The Trump administration has been linked to over 2,000 civilian deaths worldwide in the first 15 months of its second term, including in Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Venezuela, and the Caribbean.
- ▪Experts from Airwars and the Center for Civilians in Conflict report an unprecedented number of conflict zones with documented civilian harm under the current administration.
- ▪U.S.-led or supported airstrikes, including joint operations with Israel, have killed at least 2,362 civilians in Iran, among them 383 children, according to Amnesty International and the Human Rights Activists News Agency.
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Hegseth Brags of a Deadlier War Machine as U.S. Unleashes “Devastating Civilian Harm Globally” While testifying to Congress on Wednesday, War Secretary Pete Hegseth lobbed threats and brushed off queries about civilian harm. Nick Turse April 29 2026, 7:11 p.m. Share Copy link Share on Facebook Share on Bluesky Share on X Share on LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp Pete Hegseth testifies before the House Armed Services Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on April 29, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Photo: Olivier Douliery/Abaca/Sipa USA via AP Images President Donald Trump has imperiled civilians across the globe in an unprecedented fashion, outpacing his record of civilian harm during his first term in just the first 15 months of his second, according to experts.
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