Trump backs release of second Caribbean strike footage as scrutiny over ops intensifies
In a recent turn of events, President Donald Trump has expressed his willingness to release video footage of a second military strike conducted against an alleged drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean on September 2. This decision comes amid growing scrutiny surrounding the Trump administration’s military operations targeting drug traffickers, particularly after it was revealed that the second strike was ordered following the first, which had left survivors on board. Trump stated, “I don’t know what they have, but whatever they have we’d certainly release. No problem,” indicating his support for transparency regarding the military’s actions. This situation has raised significant concerns regarding the legality and ethical implications of military strikes against suspected drug smugglers, especially in light of reports suggesting that the strikes may have targeted individuals who posed no imminent threat.
The strikes were authorized by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and executed under the command of Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley, who was overseeing Joint Special Operations Command at the time. Hegseth defended the decision to conduct a second strike, asserting that it was necessary to eliminate a potential threat. However, the White House has faced backlash over claims that Hegseth verbally ordered the killing of all individuals on board the boat, a point the administration has since disputed. As lawmakers from both parties demand greater oversight and accountability regarding these military actions, a new war powers resolution has been introduced, aiming to restrict Trump’s ability to engage in hostilities against Venezuela. Critics, including Senator Tim Kaine, have argued that the administration is moving the country closer to conflict without adequate justification or transparency, highlighting the potential consequences of such military engagements, including increased migration pressures at the U.S. border.
The Trump administration has undertaken over 20 strikes against alleged drug boats in Latin American waters, significantly ramping up military efforts in the Caribbean to combat drug trafficking. This escalation aligns with Trump’s broader strategy to curb the influx of illegal drugs into the United States, yet it has sparked a contentious debate over the legality and morality of using military force in such operations. As the situation develops, the call for transparency and accountability remains crucial, with many Americans eager to understand the rationale behind these military actions and their implications for U.S. foreign policy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3LzSLXnK1Q
President
Donald Trump
is on board with releasing the video footage of the
second strike
targeting an alleged drug boat on Sept. 2.
The Trump administration is currently facing heightened scrutiny for its strikes against alleged drug smugglers in the Caribbean, amid confirmation from the White House that the U.S. military conducted a second strike against one of the vessels after the first strike left survivors.
Trump shared
footage of the first strike
, and said Wednesday he supported releasing documentation of the second strike as well.
“I don’t know what they have, but whatever they have we’d certainly release. No problem,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday.
HEGSETH SAYS MILITARY CONDUCTED ANOTHER STRIKE ON BOAT CARRYING ALLEGED NARCO-TERRORISTS
Secretary of War
Pete Hegseth
told reporters Tuesday that he watched the first strike live, but left for a meeting and did not learn of the second strike until later.
The White House said Monday that Hegseth had authorized Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley to conduct the strikes, and that Bradley was the one who ordered and directed the second one.
At the time of the Sept. 2 strike, Bradley was serving as the commander of
Joint Special Operations Command
, which falls under U.S. Special Operations Command. He is now the head of U.S. Special Operations Command.
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According to Hegseth, conducting the subsequent strike against the alleged drug boat was the right call.
“Admiral Bradley made the correct decision to ultimately sink the boat and eliminate the threat,” Hegseth said Tuesday.
Hegseth and the White House have faced additional questions about the legality of the strikes targeting alleged drug smugglers, after the Washington Post reported on Friday that Hegseth verbally ordered everyone onboard the alleged drug boat to be killed in a Sept. 2 operation.
SPEC OPS CHIEF ORDERED DEADLY CARIBBEAN STRIKE ‘IN SELF-DEFENSE’ WITH HEGSETH’S SIGN-OFF, WHITE HOUSE SAYS
The Post reported that a second strike was conducted to take out the remaining survivors on the boat.
Meanwhile, the White House has disputed that Hegseth ever gave an initial order to ensure that everyone on board was killed, when asked specifically about Hegseth’s instructions.
On Capitol Hill though, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are pushing for greater oversight and accountability on the strikes, amid concerns the second strike targeting survivors was illegal.
Despite previous efforts in recent months to introduce a
war powers resolution
to curb Trump’s ability to conduct these strikes that failed to garner enough Republican support for passage, Senate Minority Leader
Chuck Schumer
, D-N.Y., Tim Kaine, D-Va.,
Adam Schiff
, D-Calif., and
Rand Paul
, R-Ky., introduced another war powers resolution on Wednesday to bar Trump from using U.S. armed forces to engage in hostilities within or against Venezuela.
“Although President Trump campaigned on no more wars, he and his Administration are unilaterally moving us closer to one with Venezuela — and they are doing so without providing critical information to the American people about the campaign’s overall strategy, its legal rationale, and the potential fallout from a prolonged conflict, which includes increased migration to our border,” Kaine said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Trump administration has conducted more than 20 strikes against alleged drug boats in Latin American waters, and has enhanced its military presence in the Caribbean to align with Trump’s goal to crack down on drugs entering the U.S.
