Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday said he would not commit to releasing footage of a second strike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean.
Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi, California, Hegseth told reporters that the Pentagon is reviewing the video to protect sources, methods, and operational details. “It’s an ongoing operation…we’ve got operators out there doing this right now,” he said. “Whatever we decide to release, we’d have to be very responsible about it.”
The second strike, which followed an earlier September attack on the vessel, has drawn scrutiny in Washington. Navy Admiral Frank Bradley and Joint Chiefs member Dan Caine briefed lawmakers on both sides of the aisle earlier this week, providing details of the operation. President Trump indicated he supported releasing the footage, saying it could demonstrate the reduction in drugs smuggled via sea, and claimed that each boat taken out saves thousands of American lives.
According to Bradley, the two survivors from the September strike did not appear to signal for help or use additional communication devices after their boat was hit. Hegseth defended the operation during the forum, emphasizing a renewed military focus on the Western Hemisphere and criticizing prior administrations. “If you bring drugs to this country in a boat, we will find you, and we will sink you,” he said, adding he fully supported the strike and would have made the same decision.