Hegseth admits he would have ordered a second strike on Caribbean vessel

At the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth voiced strong backing for the September 2 operation targeting a suspected drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean. "I fully support that strike," Hegseth stated. "I would have made the same decision myself."

During a closed-door briefing on Capitol Hill, lawmakers were shown a video of the attack, which revealed the aftermath of the vessels destruction. Reports had emerged suggesting that the commanding officer authorized a second strike to eliminate survivors following Hegseths purported directive. Administration officials later clarified that Hegseth did not explicitly order this follow-up attack, noting that Admiral Frank Bradley, head of Joint Special Operations Command at the time, determined the wreckage needed to be neutralized due to potential cocaine presence.

Hegseth reiterated his account on Saturday, saying he observed the initial strike but left to attend another meeting before the follow-up actions occurred. He did not confirm whether the government would make the full video public, describing the matter as "under review."

The September 2 operation marked the opening of a broader US campaign, with 22 strikes carried out in the southern Caribbean and Pacific aimed at curbing the flow of illegal drugs into the United States. These operations have resulted in 87 deaths, including one in the eastern Pacific earlier this week.

The footage presented to Congress showed two unarmed men clinging to debris after their boat was destroyed. Defense Department guidelines prohibit attacks on incapacitated, unconscious, or shipwrecked individuals who are not engaging in hostilities, citing such actions as clearly illegal if orders are given to fire upon them. Nevertheless, the Trump administration has framed the operations as part of a confrontation with armed drug trafficking groups, emphasizing the lethal impact of narcotics entering the US.

Author: Jackson Miller