A Navy admiral and not Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed a September strike on a suspected drug boat near Venezuela where the military was reportedly ordered to kill survivors, the White House said Monday.
Why it matters: The White House defended the legality of the attack, but Congress has vowed to investigate with some members warning that, if substantiated, the deaths could violate the laws of war.
What they're saying: "On Sept. 2, Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral [Frank] Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes," press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a news briefing.
- "Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated."
- In response to a question asking her to confirm that an order for a second strike came from Bradley, Leavitt said Bradley was "well within his authority to do so."
Catch up quick: The Washington Post recently reported that Hegseth ordered a second attack to kill survivors clinging to the wreckage. Hegseth has denied the accuracy of the report.
The intrigue: The Defense Department's Law of War Manual uses shooting shipwrecked survivors as an example of an illegal order that service members are obligated to refuse.
- "For example, orders to fire upon the shipwrecked would be clearly illegal," the manual states.
- When prompted by a reporter to explain how the strike is not an example of a war crime, Leavitt said the strike was "conducted in international waters and in accordance with the law of armed conflict."
Zoom in: Bradley is a Navy SEAL and the head of the United States Special Operations Command, according to his leadership bio.
- He completed his SEAL training in 1992, shortly after graduating from the Naval academy in '91.
- He's also done multiple tours in command of joint task forces and was among the first soldiers to deploy into Afghanistan after 9/11.
State of play: Both the Senate and House Armed Services Committee chairs announced probes into the allegations this weekend.
- Leavitt also said the administration has conducted 13 bipartisan briefings to Congress and has allowed their offices to review classified legal opinions and other related documents.
- A bid to block Trump from unilaterally ordering the strikes failed in the Senate last month by a 49-51 vote.
What we're watching: The administration has assembled thousands of boots on the ground and has fighter jets, early-warning aircraft, sub-hunters, and roughly 185 long-range Tomahawk missiles, according to independent estimations.
- Trump also hinted that the U.S. might shift to stopping drug traffickers on Venezuelan land "very soon," but later clarified that reporters shouldn't read into his decision to close Venezuelan airspace as a sign of imminent action.
Go deeper: Trump: US will stop alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers on land "very soon"
