A US Navy admiral testified that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth did not give the order to 'kill them all' during a controversial second US military strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, multiple lawmakers have said.
The affirmations by Democratic and Republican lawmakers were made after viewing footage of the 2 September double-strike incident and hearing from Adm Frank Bradley in closed-door hearings.
The briefing before members of the House of Representatives and later the Senate came as questions continued around the legality of military force used against suspected drug boats.
The White House has said Adm Bradley was responsible for the strikes and that he acted within the law.
On Thursday evening the US military posted on X that it had killed four people in another boat strike in the eastern Pacific Ocean, at Hegseth's direction.
Prior to news of the latest strike, lawmakers reacted to the testimony, with the most senior Democrat on the House intelligence committee, Jim Himes, saying Adm Bradley had his respect and should have the respect of all of us.
He added: But what I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things I've seen in my time in public service.
Yes, they were carrying drugs. They were not in the position to continue their mission in any way, Himes said.
After the briefing, Representative Adam Smith, the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, released a joint statement with Himes calling for the video to be released publicly.
The briefing left us with more questions than answers, and Congress must continue to investigate this matter and conduct oversight, they said.
Republican Senator Tom Cotton, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, defended Adm Bradley and Hegseth, stating they did exactly what was expected of them.
I saw two survivors trying to flip a boat loaded with drugs bound to the United States back over so they could stay in the fight, Cotton said, while Republican House Representative Rick Crawford declared there was no doubt in my mind that the strikes were professional.
Senator Jack Reed, a Democrat, expressed his disturbance and stated his party would continue to investigate the incident.
The occurrence of two strikes, with the first leaving survivors, raised significant legal questions about the campaign against boats suspected of drug trafficking, particularly concerning rules of engagement regarding wounded individuals.
US President Donald Trump has indicated no objection to the release of footage from the second strike. Meanwhile, the Trump administration insists that operations in the Caribbean aim to reduce drug trafficking but have been criticized for lacking transparency and legality.
Concerns about targeting practices have been echoed by multiple experts, with some arguing that the strikes could be classified as crimes against humanity under international law.
As the controversy unfolds, lawmakers from both parties are calling for thorough investigations and clarity regarding the legality of military actions against presumed drug traffickers.
