Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling publicly criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for withholding video of the Sept. 2 strike on a suspected drug‑trafficking vessel near Trinidad, calling Hegseth’s classification argument "just not true." The strike killed all 11 people aboard after a second missile was fired when two initially survived. Selected lawmakers viewed the footage in a closed briefing and described it as deeply troubling, and some officials are urging the Department of Defense to release the redacted, unedited footage for broader review.
Retired Lt. Gen. Hertling Slams Defense Secretary Over Withheld Sept. 2 Strike Footage
Retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling told MS NOW’s The Weekend that Hegseth's justifications didn't add up. / MS NOW
Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, 72, publicly criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for refusing to release video of the Sept. 2 strike on a suspected drug‑trafficking vessel near Trinidad.
Hertling said that Hegseth 'primarily doesn’t want to release' the footage, after this week announcing that he wouldn't make it public. / The Washington Post / Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post via Getty Im
Hertling told MSNC's Jacqueline Alemany on The Weekend that he believes the secretary "primarily doesn’t want to release it," and that the explanations offered to withhold the footage are vague and unconvincing.
Hertling said that the risk of classified information being made public via the footage is 'untrue,' and that redactions or edits could be 'easily done.' / MS NOW
"What he’s now concerned about is classification of earlier strikes and how they can’t be redacted easily," Hertling said. "From dealing with these kind of videos in combat, you can easily classify them. You can take off things or blur them out."
The Sept. 2 operation involved Special Operations forces and resulted in the deaths of all 11 people on board the vessel. According to reports, a second missile was fired after two people initially survived the first strike, raising legal and ethical questions among some lawmakers.
Only select members of congress have been allowed to view the footage, with Rep. Jim Himes describing it as 'troubling.' / Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Hegseth has said he will not release the footage to the public or to members of Congress outside of the relevant committees. Hertling rejected the claim that the video contains unreleasable classified information, arguing that routine redaction and blurring would address legitimate security concerns and that the Department of Defense has had enough time to prepare the footage for wider review.
Certain lawmakers were shown the footage in a recent closed briefing. According to attendees, including House Intelligence Committee Chairman Jim Himes, what they viewed was "one of the most troubling things" they have seen in public service.
"You have two individuals in clear distress without any means of locomotion, the destroyed vessel, who are killed by the United States," Himes told reporters after the briefing.
Senator Jack Reed also issued a statement saying he was "deeply disturbed" by the footage and urged the Department of Defense to release the complete, unedited video, echoing earlier public comments by the President indicating the footage would be made available.
Context and next steps: The dispute highlights broader tensions over transparency, oversight, and classification policy. Critics say limited disclosure undermines congressional oversight and public trust, while the Defense Department emphasizes the need to protect sensitive information and sources. Lawmakers and legal experts are likely to continue pressing for additional briefings or a redacted public release.
