WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House has affirmed that a Navy admiral acted within his authority and the law when ordering a subsequent strike on a purported drug smuggling vessel in the Caribbean during a U.S. military operation in September. This incident has incited bipartisan scrutiny among lawmakers.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt justified the follow-up strike conducted on September 2 following reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth may have issued a verbal order, which allegedly resulted in the deaths of survivors from the initial strike. Leavitt acknowledged that the report from the Washington Post concerning survivors was accurate, as bipartisan Congressional leaders indicated their intention to review the military's actions.
Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) has voiced serious legal concerns regarding the strikes, suggesting that such actions could amount to war crimes if allegations of targeting non-combatants hold true. In contrast, Republican representatives like Mike Turner have emphasized the lack of information, although they indicated a willingness to investigate the legality of the actions taken.
Meanwhile, President Trump has defended Hegseth, asserting he did not order any killings allied with the second strike. Trump confirmed on Sunday that he had been in conversation with Maduro, yet did not elaborate on the specifics.
The operations in the Caribbean have raised alarms due to their association with drug cartels, allegedly tied to Venezuelan leadership, as Trump considers extending military actions to Venezuela's mainland. Casualties from these strikes have reached over 80, marking a significant escalation in U.S. military engagement in the region. On Monday, Venezuela announced its own investigation into the operations responsible for these civilian deaths.
