Top U.S. military officials presented senior lawmakers with previously unseen footage of a September 2 strike on a vessel suspected of transporting narcotics, including a second attack that has ignited a sharp political and legal debate surrounding the Trump administration’s lethal counter-trafficking campaign.

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Adm. Frank M. Bradley, the Special Operations commander directly involved in the mission, met privately with key members of Congress to explain the operation and defend the decision to authorize a second missile strike that killed the survivors of the initial attack.

The briefings were held behind closed doors for the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, along with relevant appropriators.

According to lawmakers familiar with the meeting, Admiral Bradley firmly denied claims that he received any written or verbal instruction to “kill them all” or “grant no quarter.” He rejected reports suggesting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had explicitly ordered the elimination of survivors from the first strike.

But after watching the unedited footage, lawmakers emerged with vastly different interpretations of what took place on the water that day. The video showed the initial missile strike on the vessel, followed by the subsequent strike that killed the remaining individuals and sank the damaged boat.

Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, described the operation as both lawful and justified. He said the footage depicted two survivors attempting to right a boat “loaded with drugs bound for the United States,” and argued that the follow-up strike reflected standard military procedure.

Representative Rick Crawford, another Arkansas Republican and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, echoed that assessment, saying he was fully convinced that the Pentagon acted professionally and appropriately.

Democrats, however, reacted with deep concern. Many described the unedited footage as troubling and called for it to be made public, saying the video raised more questions than it answered. They pointed to the broader campaign, which has involved 21 strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific, resulting in 83 deaths.

Representative Jim Himes, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and a longtime member of congressional oversight groups on sensitive military operations, said the footage was among the most disturbing material he had seen during his time in public office. He emphasized that the individuals killed in the follow-up strike showed no ability to maneuver and were stranded beside a destroyed vessel.

Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the senior Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, called for greater accountability and demanded the removal of Secretary Hegseth. She argued that the footage underscored serious deficiencies in the administration’s oversight of lethal operations.

Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the classified briefing confirmed his concerns about the nature of the mission. He criticized the administration for withholding essential documents and information that the committee had repeatedly requested.

While some Republicans, such as Senator Roger Wicker, have raised questions about the legal justification for striking survivors, they offered little public comment after the meeting.

Democrats remained adamant that the targeted boat attacks may constitute extrajudicial killings. Many reiterated their demand for Secretary Hegseth to testify before Congress and explain why the administration chose military force over traditional Coast Guard interdictions.

Senator Chris Coons of Delaware questioned how the administration could justify lethal operations in open waters while simultaneously pardoning individuals convicted of narcotics-related offenses. He referenced Trump’s recent decision to pardon former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández.

During the briefings, lawmakers pressed General Caine and Admiral Bradley about the original directive—which reportedly called for sinking the vessels, destroying the drugs, and eliminating individuals on board—and about the decision-making process that led to the second strike. Military officials maintain that survivors were a legitimate target under the mission’s rules of engagement, though legal scholars have disputed that interpretation.

Republican leaders rejected claims that the follow-up strike amounted to a war crime, while Democrats said more information was needed before making any determination.

Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, emphasized the seriousness of the allegations and refrained from drawing conclusions until the full facts are disclosed.

The incident has placed significant pressure on both Secretary Hegseth and Admiral Bradley. While some lawmakers have raised concerns about their roles, current and former military leaders have publicly defended Admiral Bradley’s judgment, arguing that he should not be singled out for decisions made under complex and rapidly evolving circumstances.

Retired Admiral William McRaven, who oversaw the mission to kill Osama bin Laden, praised Bradley’s integrity and leadership. McRaven said that although he was not familiar with the detailed circumstances of the September 2 strike, he had complete confidence in Bradley’s moral and professional character, based on decades of working alongside him.