The defense secretary said he left part way through the operation and did not see survivors following the initial strike on Sept. 2.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (C) speaks during a Cabinet meeting alongside President Donald Trump (L), Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick (2nd R) and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy (R) in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Dec. 2, 2025. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
12/2/2025|Updated: 12/2/2025
WASHINGTON—Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said he watched the initial strike on a drug boat in early September, but did not see survivors or stick around for a follow-up strike on the damaged vessel.
“I watched that first strike live,” Hegseth told reporters at a Dec. 2 White House Cabinet meeting.
Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs.
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