{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/politics/pete-hegseth-announces-we-do-bad-things-to-bad-people-as-cartel-coalition-motto","slug":"pete-hegseth-announces-we-do-bad-things-to-bad-people-as-cartel-coalition-motto","url":"https://mediabias.news/politics/pete-hegseth-announces-we-do-bad-things-to-bad-people-as-cartel-coalition-motto","title":"Pete Hegseth announces 'We do bad things to bad people' as cartel coalition motto","subtitle":"The US defence secretary’s phrase, unveiled in Panama, draws criticism over military tactics and due process concerns","excerpt":"Pete Hegseth, US defence secretary, introduced the motto 'We do bad things to bad people' for the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition during a speech in Panama. Critics questioned the administration’s military approach to cartels, while supporters framed it as a necessary escalation against transnational crime.","category":"Politics","area":"United States","publishedAt":"2026-08-15T02:25:26.265Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-08-14T19:39:42.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-15T02:25:26.265Z","readTime":"5 min read","scores":{"trust":74,"critic":68,"hype":32,"notes":{"trust":"Multiple outlets corroborate Hegseth's remarks","critic":"Some reports lack direct quotes and context","hype":"Headlines emphasize controversy and criticism"}},"tags":["#USPolitics","#DrugCartels","#MilitaryStrategy","#TrumpAdministration","#DueProcess"],"entities":["Pete Hegseth","Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (ACCC)","Donald Trump","Senator Jack Reed","Panama"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["Pete Hegseth announced the motto 'We do bad things to bad people' for the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (ACCC) during a speech in Panama on 14 August 2026.","The Trump administration established the ACCC in March 2026 to coordinate efforts against drug cartels, focusing on border security, narco-terrorism, and critical infrastructure protection.","Critics argue the military approach to suspected cartel members raises due process concerns, while supporters say it is necessary to counter transnational crime.","No left-rated outlet carried the story, according to the reports below."]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, announced a new motto for the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (ACCC) during a speech in Panama on 14 August 2026. The phrase, 'We do bad things to bad people,' was introduced as part of the coalition’s efforts to counter transnational drug cartels and designated terrorist organisations. Hegseth said the administration would 'empower great Americans and great partners to do really good stuff' in bringing violence against these groups."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The ACCC was established by the Trump administration in March 2026. Its stated goals include border security, countering narco-terrorism and trafficking, and protecting critical infrastructure across the Western Hemisphere. The coalition’s formation followed the administration’s designation of several drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organisations, a move that expanded the scope of military operations against them."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Critics of Hegseth’s remarks questioned the administration’s military approach to suspected cartel members. Some cited concerns about due process, arguing that targeting individuals without trial could bypass legal protections. Others referenced past US military actions, including a 2025 strike on an alleged drug-carrying vessel that killed 11 people, as examples of the risks of such operations. Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, have previously opposed the use of military force against suspected criminals without trial."},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"No left-rated outlet ran the story, according to the reports below. None of the right-rated digests mentioned the due process concerns or the criticisms of the administration’s military approach that were reported by the centre-rated outlets. The centre-rated reports did not include any statements from the Defense Department responding to the backlash over Hegseth’s remarks."}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"Mandatory","url":"https://mandatory.com/celebrities/1831004-pete-hegseth-drug-war-motto-critics","headline":"Pete Hegseth Mocked Over New Drug War Motto: ‘We Do Bad Things’","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T19:39:42.000Z"},{"sourceName":"RadarOnline","url":"https://radaronline.com/p/pete-hegseth-mocked-new-motto-in-war-on-drug-cartels","headline":"Pete Hegseth Mocked by Critics as He Unveils New Motto in War on Drug Cartels","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T17:45:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Bizpac Review","url":"https://bizpacreview.com/2026/08/14/pete-hegseth-coins-no-nonsense-phrase-leftists-will-hate-1654853","headline":"Pete Hegseth coins NO-NONSENSE phrase leftists will hate","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T15:33:30.454Z"},{"sourceName":"American Wire News","url":"https://americanwirenews.com/pete-hegseth-coins-no-nonsense-phrase-leftists-will-hate","headline":"Pete Hegseth coins NO-NONSENSE phrase leftists will hate","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T15:03:24.000Z"},{"sourceName":"starrs.us","url":"https://starrs.us/pete-hegseth-cuts-the-fat-out-of-a-bloated-politicized-pentagon","headline":"Pete Hegseth cuts the fat out of a bloated, politicized Pentagon","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T14:31:53.000Z"},{"sourceName":"ussanews.com","url":"https://ussanews.com/2026/08/14/hegseth-unveils-new-motto-in-the-war-on-drug-cartels-shorts-us-news-foxnews","headline":"Hegseth UNVEILS NEW motto in the war on drug cartels #shorts #us #news #foxnews","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T12:17:33.306Z"},{"sourceName":"The Frederick News-Post","url":"https://fredericknewspost.com/opinion/letter_to_editor/marsden-has-no-clue-about-military-service/article_503a14d5-95d4-51dd-b3d4-d6e2404de7e8.html","headline":"Marsden has no clue about military service","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T06:00:00.000Z"}],"analysis":{"distribution":{"percent":{"left":0,"centre":50,"right":50},"count":{"left":0,"centre":3,"right":3},"totalSources":7,"untracked":1,"rated":6,"observedAt":"2026-08-15T02:15:21.518604+00:00"},"lifecycle":{"state":"developing","lastCheckedAt":"2026-08-15T02:30:11.964Z","closedAt":null,"checks":1,"changes":0,"reopened":false},"framing":{"left":[],"centre":["The three centre-rated reports led on the backlash to Hegseth’s motto. Mandatory and RadarOnline both quoted social media reactions, including users who called Hegseth a 'jerk' and questioned his enthusiasm for military force. RadarOnline included a comment alleging the US government 'butcher[s] innocent people' and referenced a 2025 missile strike on an Iranian elementary school that killed approximately 110 to 120 children. Both outlets reported critics’ concerns about due process and the broader implications of the administration’s military strategy.","Mandatory described the ACCC’s focus on border security and countering narco-terrorism, while RadarOnline noted the coalition was established 'to combat transnational drug cartels, reduce illegal migration across the Western Hemisphere, and limit foreign geopolitical interference.' The Frederick News-Post digest did not carry the story’s substance, focusing instead on an unrelated opinion piece."],"right":["The three right-rated digests framed Hegseth’s announcement as a decisive move against cartels. Bizpac Review and American Wire News both used the phrase 'no-nonsense' in their headlines to describe the motto. The digests quoted Hegseth’s statement that 'for too long, bad people did bad things to good people' and noted the administration’s intent to 'empower great Americans and great partners' in the campaign. USSANews.com’s digest described the motto as targeting 'drug cartels and designated terrorist organizations' and emphasised the role of international partnerships.","None of the right-rated digests mentioned the criticisms of Hegseth’s remarks or the due process concerns raised by opponents. They also did not reference the 2025 missile strike or the broader debate over military operations against suspected cartel members."],"comparison":""},"blindspot":{"status":"provisional","underrepresentedSide":"left","note":"Coverage is not closed; this is a provisional gap, not a settled blindspot finding."},"sourceFactualityDistribution":{"low":2,"mixed":3,"high":1,"unknown":1},"ownershipDistribution":{"billionaire":1,"other":2},"firstDatedReport":{"sourceName":"The Frederick News-Post","url":"https://fredericknewspost.com/opinion/letter_to_editor/marsden-has-no-clue-about-military-service/article_503a14d5-95d4-51dd-b3d4-d6e2404de7e8.html","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T06:00:00.000Z"},"countries":[{"country":"Georgia, United States","count":1},{"country":"West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, United States","count":1}],"outlets":[{"name":"The Frederick News-Post","url":"https://fredericknewspost.com/opinion/letter_to_editor/marsden-has-no-clue-about-military-service/article_503a14d5-95d4-51dd-b3d4-d6e2404de7e8.html","headline":"Marsden has no clue about military service","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T06:00:00.000Z","leaningSide":"centre","leaningRating":"center","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":true,"country":"Georgia, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"ussanews.com","url":"https://ussanews.com/2026/08/14/hegseth-unveils-new-motto-in-the-war-on-drug-cartels-shorts-us-news-foxnews","headline":"Hegseth UNVEILS NEW motto in the war on drug cartels #shorts #us #news #foxnews","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T12:17:33.306Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"farRight","factualityRating":"low","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"starrs.us","url":"https://starrs.us/pete-hegseth-cuts-the-fat-out-of-a-bloated-politicized-pentagon","headline":"Pete Hegseth cuts the fat out of a bloated, politicized Pentagon","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T14:31:53.000Z","leaningSide":null,"leaningRating":"unknown","factualityRating":"unknown","angle":null,"isOpinion":true,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"American Wire News","url":"https://americanwirenews.com/pete-hegseth-coins-no-nonsense-phrase-leftists-will-hate","headline":"Pete Hegseth coins NO-NONSENSE phrase leftists will hate","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T15:03:24.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"right","factualityRating":"mixed","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":"Bizpac Review"},{"name":"Bizpac Review","url":"https://bizpacreview.com/2026/08/14/pete-hegseth-coins-no-nonsense-phrase-leftists-will-hate-1654853","headline":"Pete Hegseth coins NO-NONSENSE phrase leftists will hate","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T15:33:30.454Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"right","factualityRating":"mixed","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"RadarOnline","url":"https://radaronline.com/p/pete-hegseth-mocked-new-motto-in-war-on-drug-cartels","headline":"Pete Hegseth Mocked by Critics as He Unveils New Motto in War on Drug Cartels","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T17:45:00.000Z","leaningSide":"centre","leaningRating":"center","factualityRating":"low","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"Mandatory","url":"https://mandatory.com/celebrities/1831004-pete-hegseth-drug-war-motto-critics","headline":"Pete Hegseth Mocked Over New Drug War Motto: ‘We Do Bad Things’","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T19:39:42.000Z","leaningSide":"centre","leaningRating":"center","factualityRating":"mixed","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null}]},"assessment":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. 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They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"citation":{"recommended":"MediaBias News, \"Pete Hegseth announces 'We do bad things to bad people' as cartel coalition motto\", https://mediabias.news/politics/pete-hegseth-announces-we-do-bad-things-to-bad-people-as-cartel-coalition-motto","canonicalUrl":"https://mediabias.news/politics/pete-hegseth-announces-we-do-bad-things-to-bad-people-as-cartel-coalition-motto","instructions":["Cite and link the canonical article URL, not the API, markdown mirror, homepage, or an original outlet URL.","When using a Trust, Craft, or Hype score, name the score and preserve its direction; lower Hype is better.","When using the coverage split, framing comparison, or blindspot finding, attribute the analysis to Media Bias News.","Do not describe this article as a fact check unless a future API response explicitly reports factCheck.status as performed."]},"links":{"canonical":"https://mediabias.news/politics/pete-hegseth-announces-we-do-bad-things-to-bad-people-as-cartel-coalition-motto","json":"https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/pete-hegseth-announces-we-do-bad-things-to-bad-people-as-cartel-coalition-motto","markdown":"https://mediabias.news/politics/pete-hegseth-announces-we-do-bad-things-to-bad-people-as-cartel-coalition-motto.md","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology"}}}