In a closed-door congressional hearing on Thursday, a senior United States naval commander offered a forceful denial that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued an order to "kill them all" during a controversial military operation last month. Admiral Frank Bradley, who commanded the action, testified before House and Senate committees that no directive to "grant no quarter" was given, countering explosive allegations that had prompted a bipartisan inquiry into potential misconduct.
The scrutiny stems from a September 2nd incident in the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Trinidad, where U.S. forces executed a double-strike on a vessel suspected of drug trafficking. According to military briefings, an initial aerial attack was followed by a subsequent engagement, culminating in the deaths of eleven individuals. Notably, two of those killed were reportedly survivors of the first assault. The operation forms part of a broader, long-standing U.S. military campaign targeting narcotics smuggling routes in international waters.
Concern among lawmakers escalated following a media report alleging that Secretary Hegseth had verbally commanded forces to take no prisoners. This prompted urgent briefings for members of the House and Senate intelligence and armed services committees. During these sessions, legislators were shown video evidence of the engagement and heard testimony from both Admiral Bradley and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine.
Reactions from Capitol Hill revealed a complex, though partially unified, perspective. Republican Senator Tom Cotton emerged from the briefing stating, "Adm Bradley was very clear that he was given no such order to give no quarter or to kill them all." This assertion aligned several lawmakers from both parties in dismissing the most incendiary allegation. However, profound disquiet persisted, particularly among Democratic members. Representative Jim Himes, a senior figure on the House Intelligence Committee, conveyed profound unease, remarking, "What I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things I’ve seen in my time in public service."
While the White House has maintained that Admiral Bradley acted within legal parameters, the briefing failed to assuage all concerns. Critics are now demanding a more comprehensive congressional investigation and the public release of the operational footage to ensure transparency. The legal justification for using lethal military force against a civilian vessel suspected of illicit activity, rather than pursuing law enforcement avenues, remains a subject of intense debate among legal experts and legislators.
The congressional inquiry unfolded against a backdrop of continued military action. On the very evening of the hearings, the U.S. military publicly announced another strike in the eastern Pacific Ocean, authorized by Secretary Hegseth, which resulted in four fatalities. This development underscores the ongoing nature of the campaign and ensures that the ethical and legal questions raised by the September incident will retain their urgency. The calls for further investigation suggest that the administration will face sustained pressure to provide a more detailed public accounting of the rules of engagement governing these lethal operations.