• Adm. Frank Bradley tells lawmakers Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave no explicit order to eliminate survivors
• Democratic congressman describes video showing “two shirtless people clinging to a capsized boat” before missile strike
• Legal experts maintain killing shipwrecked individuals violates military law regardless of armed conflict status

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — A Navy admiral commanding U.S. military strikes on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean told lawmakers Thursday that there was no “kill them all” order from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, but stark video footage of the attack left grave questions as Congress scrutinizes the campaign that killed two survivors.

Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley appeared for a series of closed-door classified briefings at the Capitol as lawmakers conduct an investigation following a Washington Post report that he ordered the follow-on attack to comply with Hegseth’s demands. Legal experts have said such a strike could constitute a violation of the laws of military warfare.

Bradley Denies ‘No Quarter’ Directive

Sen. Tom Cotton, who heads the Senate Intelligence Committee, emerged from the classified briefing with a clear message regarding the chain of command.

“Bradley was very clear that he was given no such order, to give no quarter or to kill them all.”

Freedom-Loving Beachwear by Red Beach Nation - Save 10% With Code RVM10

Cotton defended the September 2 operation, stating he witnessed survivors on video attempting to flip a boat still loaded with drugs bound for the United States. He characterized the strikes as “lawful” and “justified and righteous,” adding it was “gratifying” that the U.S. military was taking the battle to cartels.

Democrats Describe ‘Troubling’ Footage

However, Democratic lawmakers painted a starkly different picture of what they observed during the briefings. Rep. Jim Himes, the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, called the video one of the most troubling things he has witnessed during his time in public service.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE THE DUPREE REPORT

Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, provided a detailed description of what the surveillance footage revealed. He told reporters the survivors appeared to be “basically two shirtless people clinging to the bow of a capsized and inoperable boat, drifting in the water — until the missiles come and kill them.”

According to multiple sources who viewed the footage, the initial strike killed nine people immediately and split the boat in half. For approximately 41 minutes, military commanders watched as the two survivors struggled to overturn what remained of their vessel before Bradley ordered additional strikes.

Legal Questions Persist

The Pentagon’s own Law of War Manual explicitly states that orders to fire upon shipwrecked individuals would be “clearly illegal.” Michael Schmitt, a former Air Force lawyer and professor emeritus at the U.S. Naval War College, has been unequivocal in his assessment of such actions.

Sen. Chris Coons, who received a closed-door briefing, acknowledged lawmakers emerged with “different understandings” of what they observed, but added it would be “hard to watch this series of videos and not be troubled by it.”

The White House has maintained the strikes were conducted in self-defense and in accordance with the law of armed conflict. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Bradley ordered the second strike while insisting he acted within his authority.

Broader Campaign Under Scrutiny

The September 2 strike launched what has become a months-long series of military attacks on vessels near Venezuela suspected of ferrying drugs. More than 80 people have been killed in approximately 20 strikes since the campaign began.

Late Thursday, U.S. Southern Command announced another strike against a small boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean following a nearly three-week pause. Four additional casualties were reported, bringing renewed attention to the Trump administration’s extraordinary use of war powers against suspected drug smugglers.

Several Democrats have called for Hegseth to resign, while lawmakers from both parties have demanded additional documentation, including written orders and audio recordings of verbal commands. Sen. Mark Warner called for the entirety of Congress to access the strike video, noting the country’s complicated history of interventions in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Will congressional oversight lead to accountability for the September 2 strike, or will the administration’s legal justifications withstand bipartisan scrutiny?

Freedom-Loving Beachwear by Red Beach Nation - Save 10% With Code RVM10