A top US Navy commander has found himself at the centre of a political storm after ordering a second strike on a suspected Venezuelan drug boat.
The White House says he acted entirely within his authority.
“Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted.
She shut down claims that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told the military to “kill everybody,” as reported by the Washington Post.
Still, questions linger: why was a second strike ordered after survivors were reportedly seen clinging to a burning vessel?
Lawmakers from both parties aren’t letting it slide.
They’ve promised full congressional reviews.
Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Roger Wicker says they plan to question the admiral directly and examine mission audio and video.
US Operations Escalate
Hegseth, meanwhile, has blasted the allegations as “fabricated.”
He gave Bradley his public backing: “I stand by him… on the September 2 mission and all others since.”
The strikes are part of a broader US operation targeting alleged narco-smuggling boats in international waters off Venezuela and Colombia.
The actions have killed more than 80 people since September and sharply escalated tensions with Caracas.
Trump has even floated sending US ground forces into Venezuela.
So, are these missions a necessary defence measure or a legal and moral minefield?
Washington now finds itself racing to find the answer before the controversy spirals any further.
