US EditionHegseth says he did not personally see survivors before second deadly Venezuela boat strike
Defense Secretary Hegseth cited chaotic conditions and lack of visible survivors to justify a September strike that killed two on a Caribbean drug boat, prompting congressional reviews.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended a follow-up strike on an alleged drug-carrying boat in the Caribbean Sea earlier this year during a White House cabinet meeting in Washington on Dec. 2, 2025.
- The Washington Post reported Hegseth issued a verbal order after the initial strike reportedly left two survivors clinging to the burning alleged drug boat before a fatal second strike.
- During the cabinet meeting, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he watched the first strike live then moved to another meeting, adding `I did not personally see survivors.`
- Lawmakers announced congressional reviews and Navy Vice Adm. Frank 'Mitch' Bradley will provide a classified briefing Thursday, while the White House said he acted within his authority and the law regarding the 2 September strike.
- The Washington Post's reporting has prompted bipartisan concern, with Democrat and Republican lawmakers raising questions about legal and ethical consequences as President Donald Trump said he `didn't know anything` about the second strike and still relies on Pete Hegseth for information.
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94 Articles
Georgia Recorder
westvirginiawatch.comHegseth denies he was present for deadly second strike on alleged Caribbean drug boat
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right, looks on as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting of his Cabinet in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Dec. 2, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)WASHINGTON — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Tuesday he did not witness a controversial — and potentially illegal — second strike in early September that killed two survivors clinging to a burning alle…
Hegseth Says He Didn’t Watch 2nd Boat Strike, Backs Commander
WASHINGTON—Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said he watched the initial strike on a drug boat in early September, but did not see survivors or stick around for a follow-up strike on the damaged vessel. “I watched that first strike live,” Hegseth told reporters at a Dec. 2 White House Cabinet meeting. “As you can imagine, at the Department of War, we’ve got a lot of things to do … so I moved on to my next meeting,” he added. Hegseth said around two …
Military Times
Marine Corps TimesHegseth says he didn’t see survivors after first Caribbean strike
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed reporters at The White House after The Washington Post claimed he ordered a military strike to leave no survivors.
Omaha World-Herald
Hegseth cites 'fog of war' in defending follow-on strike in attack on alleged drug boat
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cited the "fog of war" in defending a follow-up strike on an alleged drug-carrying boat in the Caribbean Sea this year.
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