Hegseth refuses to confirm release of video showing second strike on suspected drug boat

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday refrained from confirming whether the Pentagon will make public the video of an early September operation targeting survivors of a missile attack on a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean. Speaking during a Q&A following his address at a defense forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, Hegseth said, "We are reviewing the process and will decide responsibly."

The Sept. 2 strike killed 11 people on the vessel, marking the first of several operations against suspected drug-running boats off Latin Americas coast. Recent reporting revealed that a second missile hit the same boat, killing two survivors from the initial strike, drawing criticism toward the Trump administration.

While the White House confirmed the second strike occurred, both it and Hegseth denied that he personally ordered it. Hegseth stated that Navy Adm. Frank Mitch Bradley, commander of Special Operations Command and the mission lead, authorized the follow-up strike. "It was within Admiral Bradley's authority," Hegseth emphasized.

Congressional lawmakers viewed the second-strike video in a closed-door briefing led by Bradley and Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Following the briefing, Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Sen. Tom Cotton and House Intelligence top Democrat Rep. Jim Himes reported that Bradley did not receive instructions to leave no survivors.

Earlier reports suggested Hegseth had ordered all individuals on the boat to be killed before the first strike. Hegseth strongly denied this, calling it "patently ridiculous" and an attempt to misrepresent his decisions. He did, however, reaffirm his full support for the strike, saying he would have made the same decision himself.

According to sources, the two survivors were attempting to climb back onto the vessel when the second missile struck. Observers noted the survivors appeared to be signaling, possibly calling for help or signaling to avoid further attack.

Legal experts have raised concerns that the second strike could constitute a war crime.

The Sept. 2 strike was part of a broader campaign against suspected drug-running vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. Pentagon figures indicate that at least 87 people have died across 22 such operations. Former President Trump expressed support for releasing all footage of the Sept. 2 strikes, but Hegseth remained noncommittal on Saturday, citing ongoing review.

During his forum address, Hegseth emphasized the continuation of operations against suspected drug-trafficking boats and described their crews as "narco-terrorists," asserting that strikes will persist to prevent the spread of dangerous narcotics.

Author: Caleb Jennings