Congress ups pressure over boat strike video with threat to Hegseth's budget

US lawmakers are pushing the Trump administration to release footage of a recent military strike in the Caribbean, citing concerns about the legality and transparency surrounding the operation. In response, Congress has proposed a provision that would limit Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's travel budget until the Pentagon hands over unedited video of the strike.

The incident occurred on September 2nd, when US forces carried out a second deadly strike on a boat in the Caribbean. The strike was described as a "double-tap" and resulted in nine deaths. However, details about the operation are still unclear, with Hegseth's office initially withholding information about the incident.

Trump has previously posted video of the first strike, but has so far refused to release footage of the second strike. In response, lawmakers have proposed limiting travel funds for Hegseth's office until unedited footage is released. The provision is buried in a 3,000-page draft bill aimed at approving next year's defence spending.

The White House maintains that it is working within the laws of armed conflict and that the strikes were ordered by a navy admiral, not by Hegseth. However, some lawmakers have expressed concerns about the legality and transparency surrounding the operation, including senior Democrats and Republicans.

Trump has denied saying that he would release footage of the second strike, despite previously making similar statements on camera. Instead, he claims that whatever Hegseth wants to do regarding the footage is okay with him.

The issue highlights ongoing tensions between Trump's administration and Congress over issues of military action and transparency in war zones. The Pentagon is due to brief top congressional lawmakers on Tuesday, including Hegseth, Rubio, and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Dan Caine.

Lawyers say that the US must follow the laws of armed conflict, which dictate that parties in an armed conflict are obliged to pick up wounded survivors of a strike rather than attack them again. They point out that nine people died in the first strike on the vessel, with two survivors left clinging to the burning wreckage before being attacked again.

The controversy has sparked debate among lawmakers and experts about the legality and implications of Trump's actions. While some have praised the strikes as necessary, others have questioned their legality and raised concerns about transparency and accountability within the White House.

The US Congress is getting a bit too big for its britches if you ask me . I mean, come on, they want unedited footage of a military strike in the Caribbean? That's just plain crazy talk . First off, who gets to decide what information is released and when? It sounds like a case of Congress trying to micromanage national security .

And let's be real, the White House has got a point about following the laws of armed conflict . If there were two survivors left clinging to the wreckage after the first strike, is it really necessary to attack them again? That just sounds like a recipe for disaster .

The fact that Congress wants to limit Defense Secretary Hegseth's travel budget as a condition for releasing the footage? That's just ridiculous . Can't they just trust that he's doing his job and doesn't need to be babysat all the time ?

Ultimately, it looks like we're seeing more of the same old partisan bickering over national security and transparency . But at the end of the day, can we really afford not to have a healthy dose of skepticism when it comes to our military actions? I think so

OMG, I'm so worried about this! Like, what is going on with our military? They're just gonna keep withholding info from Congress?! It's like they think they're above the law or something . And Trump's being super shady about it too... Release the footage already! We need to know what's really going on over there. Can't we trust our military to do what's right? I'm all for transparency and accountability, you feel?

I'm low-key worried about this whole thing ... it seems like a classic case of 'we don't wanna reveal the truth' . The fact that Trump's team is hiding footage from the second strike just because they want to keep it under wraps, makes me think there's more to the story than we know .

I mean, come on, 3,000 pages of bill and no transparency about what went down? It's like, aren't we supposed to be a country that values openness and accountability? And now, Congress is stepping in to try and get some answers from the Pentagon. I'm all for it!

It's also got me thinking about those laws of armed conflict ... what if the US really did attack the survivors after the first strike? That would be straight-up wrong . We need to make sure we're following international law and showing some humanity in these situations, you know?

I'm getting super nervous about this whole thing ... The fact that unedited footage of a recent military strike is being kept under wraps is just too much for me . I mean, what's going on here? It's like they're trying to sweep it all under the rug and hope we don't notice . And with Congress proposing to limit Defense Secretary Hegseth's travel budget until we see that footage... it's like someone's finally saying enough is enough!

And can we talk about the laws of armed conflict for a second? It seems clear to me (and I'm no expert) that our military should be following these rules, not just making stuff up as they go along . Nine people lost their lives in that strike and two more were left fighting for their lives... it's absolutely unacceptable that we don't know what really happened .

I'm all for transparency and accountability, especially when it comes to our military and its actions . It's time for the White House to come clean about what really went down in those Caribbean waters .

Ugh I'm so done with these politicians playing games. Can't they just be straightforward? The Pentagon is withholding footage because it doesn't want to reveal its own mistakes . And now, Congress is trying to strong-arm them into releasing the footage as a way of "checking in" on Trump's administration... newsflash: if there's something shady going on, that's exactly what should happen!

And can we talk about how ridiculous it is that the strikes were even done in the first place? Nine people died and two survivors got attacked again . The laws of armed conflict are clear: you gotta pick up wounded survivors, not attack them some more .

I'm also getting sick of Trump's non-answers to questions. "Whatever Hegseth wants to do regarding the footage is okay with me"... what even is that? Is he serious?

I'm getting super frustrated with this whole situation . I mean, come on, Pete Hegseth should be able to share what's going on in that strike without Congress trying to hold his feet to the fire . It's like they're saying, "Hey, we don't trust you to do your job." And Trump is all, "Whatever, dude, I've got this" .

But seriously, it's like they're missing the point . The real issue here is that there are people dying in these strikes and no one knows what's really going on . It's not just about Hegseth or Trump; it's about ensuring that we follow the laws of armed conflict and treat those who get caught in the crossfire with dignity .

I think Congress should be pushing for more transparency, not less . And if they can't trust Hegseth to share what he knows, then maybe they shouldn't be giving him a budget to travel around . Just saying

Omg I can feel how worried you are about this situation ... the fact that they're withholding info from us is super unfair, you know? It's like, we need to know what's going on so we can understand why these strikes were necessary. And with nine people already dying in one strike, it's heartbreaking to think about those two survivors getting attacked again ... I think Congress is right to push for transparency and accountability, we deserve to know the truth ... let's hope Pete Hegseth's office will release that footage soon

I think this is getting ridiculous! Congress should be focusing on actual defense spending instead of trying to muscle in on the Trump admin's military tactics. It's like they're trying to play armchair generals over here Newsflash: the Pentagon doesn't need some lawmakers breathing down their neck about releasing footage. And what's with all the back-and-forth between Trump and Congress? Can't we just have a calm discussion about these things without all the drama? It's also kinda weird that no one's questioning why they're making this provision in the defense spending bill... is it because they're genuinely concerned, or just trying to score some points?

Dude, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing . The US is basically saying it needs to keep its military actions under wraps because of "laws of armed conflict"... isn't that kinda like, not following the rules? And now they're using Congress as a way to get some transparency and accountability... sounds like a pretty clever move to me . On the other hand, I can totally see why some lawmakers would be all upset about it - we're talking lives lost here. It's just crazy that Trump is basically saying "whatever, do what you want with the footage" . But hey, at least it's sparking some much-needed debate and discussion... even if it does feel a bit like a game of chicken between the White House and Congress . Can't wait to see how this all plays out

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I think it's super important that Congress gets to see unedited footage of this military strike in the Caribbean . It's crazy that there are still so many questions about what happened on September 2nd... nine people lost their lives, and we don't even know if they were attacked again by US forces or not! The Pentagon needs to be more transparent about its actions in war zones, especially when it comes to following international laws. I'm also curious to see how this whole thing will play out... is Trump's administration really doing everything it can to ensure accountability?

I'm so sick of all this backroom dealing in DC... can't they just be transparent with us? Like, come on Pete, give us that footage already! The fact that you're trying to limit your travel budget until it's released is just a fancy way of saying "we don't want you investigating this". And what's up with the White House saying that the strikes were ordered by a navy admiral? Are they serious? It sounds like they're just covering their own behinds. This whole thing just feels like a massive cover-up to me...

I mean, what's up with this? They're basically threatening to cut off travel funds to the guy in charge until they get the footage they want . Like, congrats on finding a way to tie a major military operation to a budget bill . And Trump's all like "whatever, dude" . This is just more proof that no one knows what's going on in that White House . The fact that they're even debating the legality of these strikes is wild . I mean, come on, we've been over this – the laws of armed conflict say you gotta help people who are wounded after a strike, not shoot them again . But hey, at least it's entertaining to watch Congress try to figure out what Trump's up to .

I don't trust this "transparency" thing at all . First they release some clips, then hold back others, just to keep us in the dark. I mean, what's really going on here? The Pentagon says it was a navy admiral who gave the order, but how do we know that's true? It's always "we're following the laws of armed conflict" or some other cop-out. Can't they just be honest with us for once?

And don't even get me started on Trump's behavior . He posts his own footage one time, and then suddenly he doesn't want to share it? That's not transparency, that's just more secrecy. And now Congress is trying to muscle in on this by limiting travel funds or whatever... it's all just a big show. The truth will probably come out eventually, but I'm not holding my breath .

I'm still not convinced that these strikes were justified at all . We're talking about civilians being attacked twice after already getting hurt once. That's not right in my book. And what about the survivors who are left with no choice but to fight for their lives? It's a mess, and I think we need more oversight, not less .

So I'm reading this thing and it just blows my mind how secretive Trump's admin is being about these military strikes. I mean, nine people die and two survive, but still no unedited footage? It's like they're trying to hide something or avoid accountability. And now Congress is all over them, pushing for transparency and making sure that travel funds get cut if this footage isn't released. The White House is saying they're following the laws of armed conflict, but it doesn't sound like that's actually happening here. I don't know what Trump wants to hide, but it can't be good news. This whole thing just feels really shady.

I'm getting so frustrated with this whole situation . The lack of transparency from the Trump admin is just ridiculous. I mean, come on, a "double-tap" strike that resulted in nine deaths? That's some serious business. And now they're trying to sweep it under the rug by withholding info and claiming it was ordered by a navy admiral? Please.

And what really gets me is that they're not taking responsibility for their actions. They're just passing the buck and saying whatever Hegseth wants to do about releasing the footage is cool with them? No way, man. That's just not how it works. We need answers, not empty promises .

This whole thing just highlights the problem with Trump's approach to leadership - he's all about secrecy and deception. It's like, hello, we're at war here! We should be clear and transparent about our actions, not hiding behind classified info and vague statements .

omg is this for real? Congress is taking on the Pentagon over footage of a strike in the Caribbean? like, I get it, transparency matters but c'mon, Trump has been all over social media with that first strike video, why not the second one too? it's not like he's being secretive about it... or is he trying to spin it again? either way, this whole situation is super shady and I'm low-key freaking out for those 9 lives lost

I'm freaking out over this, it's like they're hiding something from us lol . I mean, nine people died in that strike on September 2nd and we still don't know what really happened? The fact that they're only releasing footage of the first strike but not the second one is just weird. It feels like they're trying to cover something up... shouldn't we at least get some answers about what's going down in those waters? I'm all for transparency and accountability, especially when it comes to our military personnel putting their lives on the line. This whole thing is giving me major anxiety, let's keep an eye on this and see how it unfolds

I just can't help but think that this whole thing is getting a bit too heated ... I mean, we're talking about nine lives lost in that strike... we should be focusing on making sure it doesn't happen again, not debating whether or not footage should be released . Trump's stance on this is just confusing - he seems to think that as long as his guy says everything is cool with him, that makes it okay . But what about the laws of armed conflict? Don't they apply in all situations? It feels like we're just patching things up instead of having a real conversation about what went wrong and how to fix it . Can't we just take a step back and try to understand each other's perspectives for once?