Hegseth Dodges Yes/No On Releasing Contested Double‑Tap Airstrike Video, Denies 'Kill Them All' Report

Hegseth Declines To Commit On Video Release, Cites Operational Security

At the Reagan National Defense Forum on Saturday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to give a direct answer when asked whether he would follow through on President Donald Trump’s pledge to release the full video of a disputed double‑tap airstrike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.

During a Q&A, Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson asked when the public might see the footage, noting recent discussions after Admiral Frank "Mitch" Bradley and the Joint Chiefs met on Capitol Hill. Hegseth replied that the footage is "under review" to protect sources and methods and to safeguard ongoing operations and TTPs (tactics, techniques and procedures).

"We are reviewing it right now to make sure sources, methods — I mean, it’s an ongoing operation right now, TTPs," Hegseth said. "We have operators out there doing this now. Whatever we decide, we have to be responsible and we are reviewing it."

Tomlinson then referenced a Washington Post report that attributed a directive to Hegseth — "Kill them all" — allegedly referring to survivors of the first strike. Hegseth forcefully rejected the claim, calling it "patently ridiculous" and saying it distorted his remarks.

"Is anybody here from The Washington Post? I don’t know where you get your sources, but they suck," Hegseth said, later adding, "Of course not! ... You don’t walk in and say, ‘Kill them all —’ It’s meant to create a cartoon of me."

Hegseth defended the professionalism of U.S. forces and the legal and procedural checks that govern lethal actions. He argued the strikes are intended to disrupt maritime drug trafficking and protect Americans from illicit narcotics.

When Tomlinson pressed again — "So, Mr. Secretary, you will be releasing that full video?" — Hegseth reiterated that the material is under review. Asked for a simple yes or no, he emphasized that protecting ongoing operations and unique tactics was his priority and declined to provide a definitive answer.

Context: The Department of Defense said it is reviewing the footage to balance public disclosure with operational security and the protection of sources and methods. The exchange comes amid growing calls for transparency about the strike and media scrutiny of Hegseth's alleged language.

Watch: The exchange was captured on C-SPAN during the Reagan National Defense Forum.