By Jim Mishler | Thursday, December 11, 2025
The Senate is advancing its review of a U.S. military strike that destroyed an alleged drug-smuggling watercraft and followed with a second attack, even as the House moves to close its own investigation into the operation.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., stated he seeks full access to classified video footage documenting both the initial missile strike on the vessel and the subsequent strike that reportedly killed remaining occupants.
Senate Democrats have called for public release of the video and legal accountability for the mission conducted in Venezuelan waters. They also demand additional briefings regarding regional operations and authorization protocols.
House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers, R-Ala., recently declared Pentagon assessments and classified footage confirmed the strike was lawful. “It’s done,” he said, adding all necessary answers had been provided.
Democrats on the committee dispute this conclusion, insisting the investigation must continue. Ranking member Adam Smith, D-Wash., expects a bipartisan briefing next week with Adm. Mitch Bradley, who ordered the second strike on September 2. Smith asserted the inquiry remains “far from over” and reiterated demands for public access to the video footage. He highlighted unresolved concerns about chain of command, legal authority, and overall mission conduct.
Smith emphasized that transparent review of the video is essential for credible oversight. Some experts and Democratic lawmakers warned that survivor deaths could constitute war crimes if the follow-up strike lacked proper legal justification.
Wicker and ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I., issued a joint statement in late November urging rigorous oversight to clarify facts. Despite multiple classified briefings by Pentagon officials, several senators report critical details remain undisclosed. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., criticized the administration for releasing other strike videos while withholding this one, calling it an erosion of transparency.
Defense leaders have not committed to releasing the footage. While President Donald Trump has stated he is comfortable with public access, War Secretary Pete Hegseth warned disclosure could expose sensitive operational methods. A provision in the annual defense bill threatens to restrict part of Hegseth’s travel budget unless the video and similar footage are provided to Congress.
