US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has publicly addressed the controversial September 2nd maritime strike in the Caribbean that resulted in the deaths of two survivors from an initial attack on an alleged drug vessel. During a White House cabinet meeting, Hegseth stated he “did not personally see survivors” before the fatal follow-up strike was authorized.
The incident began when US forces conducted an initial strike on a suspected narcotics trafficking boat, reportedly leaving two individuals alive but stranded on the burning wreckage. According to documents obtained by The Washington Post, a subsequent strike was then ordered that resulted in their deaths.
Hegseth, who observed the first strike live, attributed the tragic outcome to the ‘fog of war,’ describing the chaotic scene: “That thing was on fire and it exploded… you can’t see anything. This is called the fog of war.” He revealed that he learned about Navy Admiral Frank Bradley’s decision to authorize the second strike hours after it occurred, which he characterized as “correct.”
President Trump simultaneously defended Admiral Bradley while distancing himself from the specific decision, stating “we didn’t know about” the follow-up strike. Trump emphatically added: “I want those boats taken out” and claimed these strikes have significantly reduced drug trafficking, though he provided no substantiating evidence.
The incident has raised serious legal concerns under the Geneva Convention, which prohibits intentionally targeting wounded combatants and requires their apprehension and medical treatment. Multiple international law experts have expressed doubts about the strike’s legality.
Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have expressed unease, with the Senate Armed Services committee pledging “vigorous oversight” of the incident. Admiral Bradley, who was promoted to overall commander of US Special Operations Command just one month after the strike, is expected to testify on Capitol Hill this week.
This event is part of a broader campaign that has resulted in over 80 fatalities in similar strikes across the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific since early September. The Trump administration maintains these operations are necessary self-defense measures to protect American lives from illicit drugs. President Trump has further vowed to expand the campaign, stating readiness to “start doing those strikes on land.”