**Pentagon Declines to Release Unedited Video of Military Strike Amid Growing Congressional Scrutiny**
*WASHINGTON* — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated Tuesday that the Pentagon will not publicly release the unedited video of a U.S. military strike that killed two survivors of an initial attack on a boat allegedly carrying cocaine in the Caribbean. The announcement comes as questions mount in Congress regarding the incident and the broader U.S. military buildup near Venezuela.
Hegseth explained that members of the Armed Services Committees in both the House and Senate will have the opportunity this week to review the strike video. However, he did not confirm whether all members of Congress would be granted access. “Of course we’re not going to release a top secret, full, unedited video of that to the general public,” Hegseth told reporters after a closed-door briefing with senators.
Late Tuesday, President Donald Trump intensified pressure on Venezuela by announcing a blockade on all sanctioned oil tankers entering the country, which has long depended on oil revenue as its economic lifeline.
Meanwhile, Trump’s Cabinet officials overseeing national security appeared on Capitol Hill to defend the ongoing campaign, which has resulted in at least 95 deaths across 25 known strikes on vessels operating in international waters of the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
They characterized the campaign as a success, citing its role in preventing drugs from reaching American shores. They also pushed back against concerns that the operations might be overstepping the bounds of lawful warfare.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the mission as a “counter-drug” campaign aimed at dismantling terrorist organizations operating within the hemisphere. “These groups are undermining the security of Americans, killing Americans, poisoning Americans,” Rubio said.
Members of Congress have focused particularly on the September 2 attack that resulted in the deaths of two survivors, as they evaluate the justification for an expanded U.S. military presence in the region.
On the eve of the congressional briefings, the U.S. military announced additional strikes, targeting three more boats believed to be smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in eight more fatalities.
Despite these updates, senators from both parties expressed frustration at the lack of clarity regarding President Trump’s broader objectives towards Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro or the possibility of deploying U.S. forces directly into Venezuela.
“I want to address the question, is it the goal to take him out? If it’s not the goal to take him out, you’re making a mistake,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who defended the campaign’s legality and advocated for Maduro’s removal from power.
https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/12/16/hegseth-no-release-of-boat-strike-vid/