The White House on Monday defended a US naval commander who ordered multiple strikes on a suspected Venezuelan drug-smuggling vessel in September, asserting that he had full authorization from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The clarification comes amid intensifying criticism over reports that survivors of the initial strike were deliberately targeted.
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According to The Washington Post, a second strike was allegedly ordered to kill the two remaining survivors and comply with an instruction from Hegseth that no one be left alive. President Donald Trump subsequently distanced himself from the reported decision, saying he would not have supported a second strike, while Hegseth denied issuing such an order.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, however, stated that Hegseth had indeed authorized Admiral Frank Bradley to carry out the operation on September 2.
“Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes,” Leavitt said. “Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law… to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States was eliminated.”
Leavitt insisted the operation was conducted in self-defense, took place in international waters, and adhered to the law of armed conflict. She further noted that the administration has designated the alleged traffickers as foreign terrorist organizations.
The U.S. military has carried out at least 19 strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and along Latin America’s Pacific coast since September, killing at least 76 people. The campaign has drawn bipartisan scrutiny, with lawmakers demanding clarity on the legal framework governing the operations.
International humanitarian law prohibits attacks on incapacitated combatants. The Pentagon’s Law of War Manual explicitly states that shipwrecked individuals cannot be targeted and should receive medical care unless they show hostile intent.
Legal experts argue the strikes likely fall outside the scope of armed conflict.
“It would be murder outside of armed conflict,” said Prof. Laura Dickinson of George Washington University. “Even in war, killing survivors would likely be a war crime.”
The JAGs Working Group, comprised of former military lawyers, called the alleged order “patently illegal,” asserting that service members have a duty to refuse such commands and that those who comply should face prosecution.
On X, Hegseth publicly backed Bradley, calling him “an American hero” and saying he has his “100% support.”
Meanwhile, Trump met senior advisers Monday to discuss the administration’s broader pressure campaign against Venezuela. He has previously hinted at the possibility of military intervention, declaring at one point that all airspace around Venezuela should be considered “closed,” causing confusion in Caracas.
Washington has long accused President Nicolás Maduro—whom it considers illegitimate—of involvement in drug trafficking, a charge Maduro denies. Reuters has reported that U.S. options under consideration include steps to oust Maduro, with the U.S. military positioned for a potential new phase of operations following months of maritime strikes and a significant buildup in the Caribbean.
