Name: Democrats demand release of second drug boat strike video
Uploaded: 2025-12-08T16:47:12.094Z
Duration: 2 min 5 s
Description: Democratic lawmakers are pushing for the Pentagon to release the video of a second strike on an alleged drug boat in September. Over the weekend, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth would not commit and said it is being reviewed to determine what could be released publicly.

Democratic lawmakers are pushing for the Pentagon to release the video of a second strike on an alleged drug boat in September. Over the weekend, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth would not commit and said it is being reviewed to determine what could be released publicly.

Democrats have demanded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth release the full video of a second U.S. military strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, which killed survivors of a previous failed strike. The Pentagon is currently reviewing the footage to determine what can be made public, and Hegseth has not committed to releasing it.

Sources familiar with the video say it shows survivors waving overhead before the second attack, possibly signaling for help. While some lawmakers argue the survivors were still valid targets, Democrats insist the public should be allowed to judge the military's actions for themselves. President Trump has indicated openness to releasing the video, and reports suggest the boat was not headed for the U.S. but to another vessel near Suriname.

Democrats demand release of second drug boat strike video

Now to demands from Democrats that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth released the full video of a second strike on an alleged drug boat that killed shipwrecked survivors. The attack in September followed a first strike that failed to destroy the target. Charlie Daggett is in Washington. Charlie, good morning. Good morning to you, Nate. Democrats are pushing for the Pentagon to release the video of that second attack, but Hegseth would not commit this weekend and said it's being reviewed to determine what could be released to the public. I fully support that strike. I would have made the same call myself. Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum this weekend, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Admiral Mitch Bradley was well within his authority to authorize the second strike on this alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. Hegseth said the survivors of the first strike on the boat could have still been in the fight. There was a link up point of another potential boat. Drugs were still there. They were actively interacting with them. Had to take that. Roger. Sounds good. Two sources familiar with the contents of the video confirmed to CBS News that survivors were waving overhead before the second strike. One of the sources said the action could be interpreted as the survivors either calling for help or wanting to wave off another strike. Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton saw the video Thursday. It doesn't really matter what they were trying to do. What matters is that they were not in a shipwrecked state, distressed, dog paddling in the water at all. And therefore, that boat, its cargo and those drug traffickers remained valid targets. But Democrats say the video should be released so the American people can judge for themselves. But I think it's really important that people see what it looks like when the full force of the United States military is turned on two guys who are clinging to a piece of wood and about to go under. President Trump said last week he's open to releasing the video. And there are reports that Admiral Bradley told lawmakers last week that boat wasn't even headed towards the United States, but to link up with another vessel near the country of Suriname, near Venezuela. Gail? Thank you very much, Charlie.

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