Fox News’ Pete Hegseth says he would have approved second strike on Caribbean vessel

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday voiced full support for a controversial September 2 strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean, stating he “would have made the same call” himself.

Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California, Hegseth reaffirmed his position despite mounting scrutiny over the legality of the operation. Lawmakers were shown a video of the strike behind closed doors, which reportedly depicted two survivors clinging to wreckage after the vessel was destroyed. Both men were shirtless, unarmed, and carried no communication devices.

While Trump administration officials later clarified that Hegseth did not directly order a second strike, the attack was conducted following guidance to neutralize the vessel. Admiral Frank Bradley, who led the Joint Special Operations Command at the time, stated the wreckage needed destruction to prevent it from concealing cocaine.

The September 2 operation was one of 22 similar US military strikes in the southern Caribbean and Pacific, aimed at curbing the flow of illegal drugs. The campaign has reportedly killed 87 people, raising questions about adherence to international law.

The US Defense Department’s Law of War Manual prohibits attacks on shipwrecked or incapacitated individuals who are not actively participating in hostilities, citing such attacks as “clearly illegal” and subject to refusal.

Hegseth declined to comment on whether the full video of the strike will be released, saying the matter is “under review.” The administration has framed the strikes as part of a broader campaign against armed drug trafficking groups, emphasizing the public health threat posed by cocaine entering the United States.