Overview
- After saying last week he had no problem releasing the video, Trump told reporters the choice belongs to Hegseth and argued the survivors appeared to be trying to right the capsized boat.
- House negotiators inserted language in the $900 billion defense bill to withhold a quarter of Hegseth’s travel budget unless unedited strike videos are provided to Congress, with a vote expected this week.
- Lawmakers who viewed the footage offered starkly different accounts, with Democrats calling the follow-up strike hard to justify and Sen. Tom Cotton saying the target remained lawful while stating he does not oppose public release.
- Accounts of the classified video say survivors were visible for more than 30 minutes and at times raised their hands, while legal experts note Pentagon rules forbid firing on shipwrecked persons and warn of potential law-of-war violations.
- The Sept. 2 incident launched a broader maritime campaign reported to include about 22 attacks and roughly 80–87 deaths, as Trump warns Nicolás Maduro has “days numbered” and says forces will hit traffickers on land very soon.