Trump Defers Video Release to Hegseth on Caribbean Strike

President Donald Trump on Monday deferred to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth the decision on releasing video footage of a controversial U.S. military strike in the Caribbean on September 2, marking a reversal from his earlier statements supporting its public disclosure. The incident, part of a broader campaign against suspected drug smuggling vessels, involved an initial missile attack that killed most of a crew of about 11 and a follow-up strike that targeted two survivors clinging to the boat's wreckage, according to congressional members who viewed the video.

The strikes occurred amid the Trump administration's aggressive operations targeting small boats in the Caribbean believed to be involved in narcotics trafficking. Officials have conducted 22 such attacks over the past five months, resulting in at least 87 deaths. In a September post on Truth Social, Trump warned potential smugglers, stating, "Please let this serve as notice to anyone even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America, BEWARE." The administration has claimed that each destroyed vessel prevents drugs from reaching American streets, estimating that the September boat alone carried enough...