Ask Onix
Congress targets Pentagon funding to obtain strike video
Lawmakers from both parties have embedded a provision in a sprawling defense bill that would curb travel funds for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's office until the Pentagon hands over unedited footage of a disputed military operation in the Caribbean.
Controversial 'double-tap' strike under scrutiny
The measure centers on a September 2 incident in which U.S. forces conducted a follow-up strike on a boat already damaged by an initial attack, killing two survivors clinging to the wreckage. Nine people died in the first strike, according to The Washington Post. Legal experts argue the second strike may violate the laws of war, which require combatants to rescue wounded survivors rather than target them again.
Defense bill ties travel funds to transparency
The provision, tucked into a 3,000-page draft of the annual defense policy bill, would restrict Hegseth's office to spending only 75% of its 2026 travel budget until it complies with demands from the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. The bill authorizes nearly $901 billion in defense spending and is expected to pass with bipartisan support.
The Pentagon must provide "unedited video of strikes conducted against designated terrorist organizations" within the U.S. Southern Command's area of responsibility, the text states. The language aligns with the Trump administration's characterization of the strikes as part of a counterterrorism campaign.
White House and Pentagon responses diverge
President Donald Trump has deferred to Hegseth on whether to release the footage, contradicting his earlier on-camera remark that he would have "no problem" making it public. During a Monday press briefing, Trump claimed the strikes had saved 25,000 American lives per targeted vessel and asserted that maritime drug trafficking to the U.S. had nearly halted. His administration maintains the operations are lawful under a non-international armed conflict framework, though it has not publicly substantiated claims of criminality in each case.
The White House insists the strikes comply with the laws of armed conflict. It notes the second strike was ordered by Navy Admiral Frank Bradley, not Hegseth, who has become a focal point for criticism of both the operation and the administration's narrative.
Lawmakers split after classified briefing
Members of Congress who attended a closed-door briefing last week with Admiral Bradley emerged with conflicting assessments. Representative Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called the second strike's footage "deeply, deeply troubling." In contrast, Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas defended the operation as "entirely lawful and needful."
Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine are scheduled to brief senior lawmakers Tuesday afternoon, according to sources cited by CBS News.
Hegseth noncommittal as pressure mounts
When asked about releasing the video, Hegseth told reporters, "We're reviewing the process, and we'll see." The Pentagon has not indicated whether it will comply with Congress's demand or challenge the funding restriction.
"Whatever Pete Hegseth wants to do is OK with me."
President Donald Trump
