Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth backed Navy Adm. Frank Bradley, who ordered a second strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the Caribbean Sea on Sept. 2.
“Lets make one thing crystal clear: Admiral Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support,” Hegseth said Monday on the social platform X. “I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made — on this September 2 mission and all others since.”
“America is fortunate to have such men protecting us. When this @DeptofWar says we have the back of our warriors — we mean it.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed earlier Monday that Hegseth authorized the second strike, which Bradley then ordered, that killed two survivors of an initial attack on the boat. The Washington Post reported Friday that the Defense secretary directed military officials to “kill everybody” on board in ordering the operation.
“Adm. Bradley worked well within his authority and the law to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated,” Leavitt told reporters Monday.
The Trump administration has said that the strikes killed 11 “narco-terrorists,” without providing public evidence. The strikes were the first in a series of operations, which the administration says have killed more than 80 people, carried out by military on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
President Trump said Sunday that Hegseth “did not order the death” of the two survivors.
“The first strike was very lethal, it was fine, and if there were two people around. But [Hegseth] said that didn’t happen,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “I have great confidence in him.”
Bradley, who at the time of the strikes was head of Joint Special Operations Command, was promoted to head U.S. Special Operations Command in October.
Sen. Mark Warner (Va.), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Monday that he has spoken with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on the issue and expects to speak with Bradley this week, CNN reported.
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