No kill order: Navy admiral rejects claim tied to controversial US boat attack

New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 5, 2025 05:00 IST

A Navy admiral at the center of a widening controversy over a deadly US military strike in the Caribbean told lawmakers on Thursday there was never a “kill them all” order from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — a claim that cuts directly against allegations that have thrown the Pentagon and Capitol Hill into turmoil.

Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley, who oversaw the operation, briefed Congress behind closed doors as lawmakers review whether a follow-on strike that killed two survivors violated the laws of war, Associated Press reported.

ADMIRAL DENIES EXPLOSIVE ALLEGATION

Bradley, now head of US Special Operations Command, rejected the suggestion that Hegseth had ordered him to eliminate all surviving suspects on the alleged drug-running boat.

“He was very clear that he was given no such order, to give no quarter or to kill them all,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, who leads the Senate Intelligence Committee.

But Democrats who viewed classified video said the footage raises serious questions about whether US forces targeted people who no longer posed a threat.

Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, described the two survivors as “shirtless people clinging to the bow of a capsized and inoperable boat until the missiles come and kill them.”

A DEADLY STRIKE UNDER SCRUTINY

The September 2 operation was the first in a months-long campaign of missile strikes ordered by the Trump administration against vessels suspected of ferrying drugs near Venezuela. More than 80 people have been killed in about 20 strikes so far.

The Washington Post reported that Bradley authorized the follow-on strike on the survivors — a claim he disputes.

Legal experts told the Associated Press that the attack could violate international humanitarian law if the individuals were no longer combatants.

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined Bradley for the briefings as lawmakers pressed for answers on how President Donald Trump was using his commander-in-chief authority without explicit congressional authorization.

LAWMAKERS DIVIDED AFTER VIEWING VIDEO

Republicans maintain the force was justified.

Cotton said the survivors appeared to be “trying to flip a boat loaded with drugs so they could stay in the fight,” adding he was “gratified” the US was taking “the battle” to the cartels.

But Democrats came away shaken.

Rep. Jim Himes called the footage “one of the most troubling things I’ve seen in my time in public service,” saying the individuals were clearly in distress and had no means of escape.

Smith also noted the survivors appeared to raise a hand — “waving” — at one point, though they did not issue any distress call.

WHO IS ADMIRAL BRADLEY?

Bradley is a decorated Navy SEAL with more than 30 years of service. He previously commanded Joint Special Operations Command and was among the first U.S. special forces deployed to Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks. His promotion to admiral earlier this year received bipartisan praise.

But Republicans and Democrats alike have warned that if evidence shows survivors were intentionally targeted, “anybody in the chain of command needs to be held accountable,” said Sen. Thom Tillis.

Congress demands records — and answer

Democrats want the full video of the strike, written orders, and all directives from Hegseth — none of which were shared in the briefings.

A White House legal memo justifying the strikes is dated after the attack and remains undisclosed. Lawmakers say obtaining it will be difficult, as Republicans control the committees.

The strikes, widely condemned by Venezuela’s government, have fueled suspicions that the US campaign is part of a strategy to pressure President Nicols Maduro. Trump recently confirmed he spoke with Maduro by phone.

- Ends

With inputs from Associated Press