00:00U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats in the
00:07Caribbean and emphasized that President Donald Trump can take military action as he sees fit
00:12to defend the nation. Here again we've been focused and here we've been clear if you're
00:17working for a designated terrorist organization and you bring drugs to this country in a boat
00:23we will find you and we will sink you. Let there be no doubt about it. President Trump can and will
00:30take decisive military action as he sees fit. Hegseth has faced growing scrutiny over an attack
00:37in September in which U.S. forces launched a follow-up strike that killed survivors of an
00:42initial hit on a suspected drug vessel. The incident raised concerns over the legality and oversight of
00:49the operation. Hegseth says he had not been present when the second strike was ordered
00:54but defended the decision saying he would have made the same call himself.
Comments