WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House stated on Monday that a Navy admiral acted within his authority and the law when he ordered a second strike on an alleged drug smuggling vessel in a recent U.S. military operation. The action has sparked combined scrutiny from lawmakers across party lines.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt justified the September 2 strike following a Washington Post report indicating that a follow-up attack had targeted survivors of the initial strike, raising legal and ethical concerns.
President Trump expressed his disapproval when asked about the attack on surviving crew members, saying he wouldn’t have wanted that — not a second strike. However, Leavitt maintained that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had authorized Admiral Frank Bradley to execute the operation, emphasizing that it was necessary to eliminate the threat.
Lawmakers expressed skepticism regarding the reports, with some stating that if true, the attacks on non-combatants could amount to war crimes. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) stated, This rises to the level of a war crime if it’s true.” Meanwhile, other Republicans echo concerns but note the lack of verified information on the events.
In defense of the operations, Trump claimed, Pete said he did not order the death of those two men, and I believe him. Hegseth labeled detractors' accounts as fake news, asserting that operations were compliant with both U.S. and international law.
The U.S. is currently conducting military operations in the Caribbean, aimed at drug cartels linked to Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, while discussions about potential strikes on Venezuelan territory continue as the Trump administration bolsters its naval presence in the region.
Venezuela’s National Assembly has initiated an investigation into the strikes, marking a significant acknowledgment from Maduro's government about civilian casualties within the U.S. military’s lengthy operations.
