Full video of Venezuela drug boat strikes will not be made public, Hegseth says [View all]
Source: Scripps News
Posted 10:20 AM, Dec 16, 2025 and last updated 45 minutes ago
As Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was on Capitol Hill to address recent strikes on suspected drug smuggling boats off the coast of Venezuela, he told reporters that full videos of the strikes will not be made public, calling them "top secret."
That announcement comes despite President Donald Trump previously stating he would have no objection to releasing the videos. The strikes were conducted at the direction Hegseth after intelligence confirmed the vessels were engaged in narco-trafficking, according to U.S. Southern Command.
The briefing comes amid ongoing scrutiny over a September 2nd strike that reportedly had survivors and was followed by a second strike, leading to accusations of potential war crime violations. Hegseth said that members of Congress would have an opportunity to see the video in a classified setting.
The operation has now resulted in 95 deaths total since it began, raising questions about the scope and objectives of the military campaign. Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are scheduled to provide a classified briefing to Congress today, marking the first opportunity for many rank-and-file members to receive detailed information about the operations beyond what has been publicly reported.
Read more: https://www.scrippsnews.com/politics/the-president/congress-questions-hegseth-on-drug-boat-deaths-as-venezuela-military-operations-expand
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