Democrats Demand Pentagon Release Video of Controversial Caribbean Strike That Killed 11

Democratic lawmakers on Sunday stepped up calls for the Pentagon to release video of a second U.S. strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel that had been disabled in the Caribbean. The strike, carried out on 2 September, killed 11 people and has prompted fierce debate over whether the follow-up attack was lawful.

The Washington Post reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered forces to "kill them all." Adm. Frank Bradley of the U.S. Navy, who oversaw the operation, told lawmakers there was no such order, and the Pentagon has maintained that the strike was legal. Legal experts, however, have described the Pentagon's legal defense as precarious.

Lawmakers Call for Transparency

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told NBC's Meet the Press the Pentagon should release the footage if it stands by the operation. "Let the American people see two people standing on a capsized boat, or sitting on a capsized boat, and deliberately killed and decide for themselves whether they're proud of what the country is doing," he said.

Adam Schiff: "I can't imagine people would be proud of that."

Former President Donald Trump said he had no objection to public release of the video, but Secretary Hegseth did not commit to releasing it when questioned. "We're reviewing the process, and we'll see," Hegseth said, adding that the Pentagon must ensure release would not reveal sensitive information.

Critical Reactions From Lawmakers

Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, described the footage as among the most troubling he has seen. "You have two individuals in clear distress without any means of locomotion — with a destroyed vessel — who were killed by the United States," he said.

Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, told ABC's This Week he believes the Pentagon is reluctant to release the video because it would be difficult to justify the strike. He said survivors recovered from the scene were unarmed, had no communications device and the boat was clearly incapacitated.

Some Support for Release and Defense of Strike

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he personally did not oppose releasing the footage and did not find it particularly disturbing, comparing it to other military strikes captured over the years. Cotton also defended the strike's legality, arguing the vessel remained a valid target.

The Pentagon says it is reviewing procedures and sensitive classification issues before deciding whether to declassify and release the video. Meanwhile, legal and human-rights experts continue to scrutinize the incident and the Pentagon's legal rationale.