WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House announced Monday that a Navy admiral operated 'within his authority and the law' when he ordered a second follow-up strike on an alleged drug boat during a U.S. military operation in the Caribbean Sea last September. This operation has come under bipartisan scrutiny.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt provided this justification for the September 2 strike, following the announcement by lawmakers from both parties, who supported congressional reviews of military actions against vessels suspected of drug trafficking. Reports indicated that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth may have verbally authorized a second strike that resulted in targeting survivors from the first attack.
Leavitt did not dispute claims made by the Washington Post that there were survivors after the first strike, indicating that Admiral Frank Bradley, then the commander of Joint Special Operations Command, was within his rights to direct the engagement targeting the boat to ensure it was destroyed.
Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) criticized the subsequent attack, stating it could rise to the level of a war crime if true, voicing concerns articulated by several lawmakers about the legality of attacking those no longer able to fight.
Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) affirmed that Congress is currently unaware of details surrounding the incident but echoed the sentiment that if such actions occurred, it would be a serious legal violation.
President Trump defended Hegseth, indicating that he did not order any deaths in the operation, while asserting that U.S. military operations aimed at drug cartels include strikes against those allegedly under Nicolás Maduro's control. Additionally, the Venezuelan National Assembly has initiated its own investigation into the U.S. strikes that have reportedly caused casualties among Venezuelans.
This incident follows a series of strikes against small boats accused of trafficking narcotics, with reports indicating that over 80 individuals have died since the onset of U.S. military actions in the region.
