Name: Questions swirl around Sept. 2 Venezuela boat strikes
Uploaded: 2025-12-06T00:54:20.953Z
Duration: 1 min 27 s
Description: Competing narratives have emerged after lawmakers were shown video of a U.S. strike on an alleged drug boat on September 2.

Competing narratives have emerged after lawmakers were shown video of a U.S. strike on an alleged drug boat on September 2.

Washington

A U.S. military operation targeting a suspected drug boat in the Eastern Pacific resulted in four deaths, with further controversy arising from a second strike in September that killed two survivors. Lawmakers have viewed unreleased video footage of the incident, but interpretations of the survivors' actions differ between Pentagon officials, congressional Republicans, and Democrats. 

While some officials claim the survivors were attempting to salvage drugs and communicate with traffickers, others assert the men were simply clinging to debris and signaling for help. Both sides agree there was a 41-minute interval between the first and second strikes. The Pentagon confirmed that Admiral Mitch Bradley consulted with military lawyers before the second strike, and Secretary of Defense Hegseth has expressed support for Bradley.

Questions swirl around Sept. 2 Venezuela boat strikes

U.S. military has taken out another suspected drug boat in the Eastern Pacific. Officials say four people on board were killed. Questions remain about a controversial second strike on a boat in September that killed two survivors. Charlie Daggett has been following this force. And Charlie, what can you tell us tonight? Well, that's right. There are competing versions of what was in that video that Admiral Mitch Bradley showed lawmakers yesterday. Pentagon and several congressional Republicans claim the video, which has not been released, shows two survivors trying to flip the boat over, kind of salvage the remaining drugs on board, trying to communicate with other traffickers in the area. But Democrats, who saw the same video, said the two men were hanging onto floating debris and did not have access to radios. Sources also tell CBS News the survivors could be seen waving overhead like they were maybe calling for help. At one point, they both agree on, it was 41 minutes between the first and second strikes. Charlie, the secretary of defense, Secretary Hegseth, said he did not see that second strike. But who else from the Pentagon was watching when that second strike took place? Yeah, so one congressional Republican said that hundreds of people were watching events in real time, including dozens of military lawyers. Admiral Bradley told lawmakers he did consult with a lawyer before ordering that strike that killed the two survivors. Tonight, Hegseth, speaking from California, said the Pentagon had Bradley's back.

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