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President Trump on Monday defended a controversial U.S. military operation that resulted in a second missile strike against suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean Sea, claiming the survivors were attempting to salvage their capsized vessel.
“They were trying to return the boat back to where it could float, and we didn’t want to see that because that boat was loaded up with drugs,” Trump explained during a press briefing.
The September 2 operation, which killed a total of 11 people, has drawn intense scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers who are demanding the release of video footage documenting the second strike. The initial missile strike killed nine people aboard the boat, while the follow-up attack targeted two survivors.
When pressed about releasing the footage, Trump appeared to contradict his earlier position. Last Wednesday, he had told reporters, “Whatever they have we’d certainly release.” However, on Monday, he deferred to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying, “Whatever Pete Hegseth wants to do is OK with me.” Trump then sharply criticized the reporter who raised the question as “obnoxious” and “terrible.”
The Caribbean operation marked the beginning of a broader military campaign that has expanded over several months. According to administration officials, American forces have conducted 22 known strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in at least 87 fatalities. The administration has framed these operations as targeting drug smugglers working for cartels, including some allegedly controlled by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump has repeatedly justified this aggressive approach as necessary to combat the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs into the United States, characterizing it as an armed conflict against narco-terrorists.
Defense Secretary Hegseth, speaking at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Saturday, indicated that officials were reviewing the video footage but stopped short of committing to its release. “Whatever we were to decide to release, we’d have to be very responsible about it,” Hegseth said. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests on Monday regarding the status of this review or confirmation of Trump’s claims about the survivors’ actions.
The controversy has reached Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have included a provision in the upcoming $900 billion defense bill that would withhold a quarter of Hegseth’s travel budget unless the Pentagon provides “unedited video of strikes” to Congress. The House is expected to vote on this bill later this week.
Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, stated over the weekend that he would not oppose public release of the footage after being briefed by the Navy admiral commanding the operations. “It’s not gruesome. I didn’t find it distressing or disturbing,” Cotton said. “It looks like any number of dozens of strikes we’ve seen on jeeps and pickup trucks in the Middle East over the years.”
However, Democratic lawmakers who have viewed the footage expressed profound concern. Representative Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, described the video as “profoundly shaking.” Representative Adam Smith of Washington, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, questioned the necessity of the second strike, saying, “It did not appear that these two survivors were in any position to continue the fight.”
The classified briefings for lawmakers followed reports that Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley had ordered the follow-on attack to comply with demands from Hegseth. Bradley reportedly told lawmakers there was no “kill them all” order from the Defense Secretary, but the complete video has nonetheless raised serious questions among some members of Congress.
Legal experts have noted that targeting survivors of an initial strike at sea could potentially violate the laws of military warfare, adding another dimension to the mounting scrutiny of this controversial military campaign.
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16 Comments
While the government claims the survivors were trying to salvage their boat, the lack of transparency raises questions. I hope an impartial investigation can shed light on the incident and hold anyone accountable if wrongdoing occurred.
Drug interdiction operations are always high-stakes, but the loss of civilian life here is deeply concerning. I hope the government can provide a thorough and impartial investigation to address the public’s understandable questions.
This seems like a complex situation with competing narratives. I’ll be interested to see if more information comes to light that can help the public better understand what happened.
Drug interdiction operations are always high-stakes, but the loss of civilian life here is deeply troubling. I hope the government can provide a full accounting to address the public’s understandable concerns.
While the administration claims the survivors were trying to salvage their boat, the lack of transparency raises questions. Hopefully an impartial investigation can get to the bottom of this.
I share your concerns about the lack of transparency. An independent review would help build public trust in the military’s actions.
While the administration claims the survivors were trying to salvage their boat, the lack of transparency raises questions. I’ll be watching closely to see if more information comes to light that can help the public better understand what happened.
Agreed, transparency is crucial here. An independent review would go a long way towards building public trust in the military’s actions.
This seems like a complex situation with competing narratives. I’m curious to see the video footage and hear more from all sides to better understand what exactly happened.
Releasing the video would certainly help shed light on this incident. Transparency is important, even if it’s politically sensitive.
This is a complex and troubling situation. I’m concerned about the loss of civilian life and the administration’s reluctance to release video footage. Transparency and accountability are crucial, even if the details are politically sensitive.
Absolutely, the public deserves a full accounting. Hopefully an independent review can get to the bottom of this incident.
Interesting development on this controversial military operation. While the details are murky, it’s concerning to hear of civilian casualties. I hope the government can be fully transparent and accountable if any wrongdoing occurred.
Agreed, transparency is crucial here. The public deserves to know the full facts before drawing conclusions.
The administration’s reluctance to release video footage is concerning. Transparency is crucial, even if the details are politically sensitive. I hope an impartial investigation can get to the truth of the matter.
Agreed, transparency should be the top priority here. The public deserves to know the full facts before drawing conclusions.