Video footage of a second strike on an alleged drug boat has elicited strong reactions from U.S. lawmakers during a closed-door meeting in Washington, D.C. The incident, which occurred on September 2, 2023, shows a suspected drug vessel operating in the Caribbean being hit by military forces, followed by a second strike as two survivors clung to wreckage. The footage was presented to members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence alongside the Senate and House Armed Services committees.
The visuals have shocked many lawmakers, with Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, expressing grave concerns. “This is a big, big problem, and we need a full investigation,” Smith told The New Republic. He argued that the survivors, deemed “capable of returning to the fight,” did not pose a threat given their circumstances. Smith emphasized that the decision to target individuals in such a precarious situation was highly questionable, stating, “It looks like two classically shipwrecked people.”
The footage prompted outrage from other lawmakers as well. Rep. Jim Himes, a Democrat from Connecticut, described it as “one of the most troubling scenes I’ve ever seen in my time in public service.” Similarly, Sen. Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island, expressed his deep disturbance, calling for the Department of Defense to release the complete, unedited version of the footage.
Contrasting views emerged from Republican lawmakers. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas defended the second strike, labeling it “righteous” and “highly lawful and lethal.” Rep. Rick Crawford, also from Arkansas, characterized the military actions as executed in a “highly professional manner.”
The incident has continued to spark controversy, with some critics alleging that the strikes could constitute a war crime. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the strikes as occurring during “the fog of war,” while Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt asserted that they were acts of “self-defense.”
International condemnation has also surfaced. Volker Türk, the United Nations’ human rights chief, stated there was “no justification” for the strikes, declaring, “These attacks – and their mounting human cost – are unacceptable.”
As the debate unfolds regarding the legality and ethics of the strikes, the Trump administration faces increasing scrutiny from both sides of the aisle. The need for a comprehensive investigation into the events surrounding the strikes has never been more pressing.
