Name: Trump defends controversial boat strikes, attacks Somali immigrants
Uploaded: 2025-12-03T02:18:06.347Z
Duration: 2 min 37 s
Description: President Donald Trump defended U.S. military strikes on an alleged drug boat that reportedly killed survivors in a follow-up attack, responding to criticism sparked by a recent investigation. During the same Cabinet meeting, he delivered a harsh verbal attack on Somali immigrants, drawing widespread condemnation.

President Donald Trump defended U.S. military strikes on an alleged drug boat that reportedly killed survivors in a follow-up attack, responding to criticism sparked by a recent investigation. During the same Cabinet meeting, he delivered a harsh verbal attack on Somali immigrants, drawing widespread condemnation.

Washington

President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth distanced themselves from a follow-up strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean, attributing the decision to Admiral Mitch Bradley. The legality of the strike, particularly the reported order to target survivors, has been questioned by legal experts, with some describing it as a potential war crime.

During the same Cabinet meeting, Trump made harsh remarks about Somali immigrants, specifically targeting Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Omar responded on social media, while a U.S. official reported that ISIS is planning to increase activity in Minneapolis and St. Paul, targeting individuals with deportation orders, including Somali nationals.

Trump defends controversial boat strikes, attacks Somali immigrants

Now, to the storm over the U.S. attack on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean. President Trump and his defense secretary tried today to distance themselves from responsibility for a follow-up strike, pinning it instead on the admiral overseeing the operation. That happened at a Cabinet meeting at which Mr. Trump also launched a vicious attack, unprecedented for a president of the United States, on Somali immigrants. Weijia Zhang is at the White House. One day after the White House confirmed there was a second strike on a suspected Venezuelan drug boat, President Trump today said he did not know about it. I still haven't gotten a lot of information because I rely on Pete, but to me it was an attack. The legality of the September 2nd attack is in question, after the Washington Post reported Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly issued an order to kill everybody, and that Navy Admiral Mitch Bradley apparently ordered the second strike to take out two survivors, fulfilling Hegseth's directive, which many legal experts describe as a war crime. Hegseth said he only saw the first strike. A couple of hours later, I learned that that commander had made the, which he had the complete authority to do, and by the way, Admiral Bradley made the correct decision to ultimately sink the boat and eliminate the threat. Trump also pointed to Admiral Bradley. I hear the gentleman that was in charge of that is extraordinary, he's an extraordinary person. But the DOD's law of war manual states that shipwrecked combatants are in a helpless state, and it would be dishonorable and inhumane to make them the object of an attack. I did not personally see survivors, but I stand, because the thing was on fire. It was exploded and fire and smoke, you can't see anything, you got digital, this is called the fog of war. At the cabinet meeting, the president also talked about his new efforts to pause migration, and singled out Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who came to the U.S. as a Somali refugee. Ilhan Omar is garbage, she's garbage. Her friends are garbage. These are people that work, they complain and do nothing but bitch. We don't want them in our country. Congressman Omar responded on social media, posting, quote, his obsession with me is creepy. Tonight, a U.S. official tells CBS News this week, ISIS planning to surge resources to Minneapolis and Omar's district, and to St. Paul, targeting people with deportation orders, some of whom are also from Somalia.

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