Overview

• New York Times reporting says a SEAL Team 6 operation to plant a listening device in North Korea was aborted after commandos shot and killed unarmed civilians on a small boat.
• The mission was reportedly approved during President Donald Trump’s first term; asked Friday, Trump said he knew nothing about it.
• The Pentagon and White House declined public comment, and a classified military review later found the killings justified under rules of engagement, with findings still secret.
• The account describes a nuclear submarine insertion using mini-subs, blackout communications, an encounter with shellfish divers, and efforts to conceal the bodies before withdrawal.
• The Times reports key congressional committees were not notified at the time, legal experts flagged possible statutory issues, and North Korea has not publicly responded.