Pentagon withholds video of military strikes against drug traffickers

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon will not be making the classified, unedited video of the September 2nd military strikes public. However, certain congressional committees may view the footage privately if they choose to do so.

The strikes took place in early September, targeting a vessel suspected of trafficking narcotics. Official reports indicate that the operation resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals, which included two survivors in a subsequent strike.

During a press briefing on Capitol Hill, Hegseth cited a long-standing policy against sharing unedited operational footage with the public. He did mention, however, that appropriate congressional committees would be given access to view it privately at their discretion.

“In keeping with long-standing Department of War policy… we’re not going to release a top-secret full unedited video to the general public,” Hegseth stated, following his discussions on the military’s ongoing strikes against alleged drug-carrying boats in the region.

Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), who has had several contentious exchanges with Hegseth during the Trump administration, suggested that the Pentagon may have serious reservations about what the unedited video could reveal, implying that withholding it could be an attempt to hide the truth.

“They released all the videos they liked, then came to one specific video that creates problems for them. That’s why they don’t want it released,” Kelly argued. “We need open hearings so the American public can hear from those in charge directly.”

In contrast, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) defended the military’s actions after reviewing the classified footage, labeling them as “entirely appropriate.”

“The individuals on that vessel were not helpless castaways. They were drug runners on a capsized drug boat,” Johnson reported, emphasizing that their aim was to continue drug trafficking.

Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), who was present at the briefing, expressed skepticism regarding the Pentagon’s reluctance to release a portion of the video, pointing out the inconsistency with the routine posting of other operational videos.