Bipartisan Senate Effort Pushes for Release of Unedited Caribbean Strike Footage
A bipartisan push in the Senate aims to force the release of full, unedited video of U.S. strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean. The strikes, which involved vessels tied to Venezuela, included a deadly double-strike on September 2. This provision has been included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and would require the Pentagon to release the footage in exchange for full funding of Pete Hegseth’s travel budget.
Senate leadership likely added the provision, with Senator Roger Wicker indicating it may have been inserted at the leadership level. The House has already passed the NDAA package, and the Senate is set to begin procedural tests on Monday.
Prominent senators, including Rand Paul, have advocated for the entire video's release, specifically citing the September 2 strike. Senators Tim Kaine and Angus King back the release of the full footage, while Senator Mike Rounds has called for complete access for the Armed Services and Intelligence committees. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized a briefing on the matter as unsatisfying, urging Congress to view the unedited videos. Senator Steve Daines supports transparency but emphasized that drug interdiction remains the broader goal of these operations.
