Lawmakers Shown Classified Video of Sept. 2 Boat Strike as Admiral Bradley Denies Any “Kill Order”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — December 4, 2025.
Members of Congress received a classified briefing this week on a U.S. maritime operation conducted on September 2, 2025, in which American forces carried out an air-to-surface strike on a vessel identified by defense officials as a suspected narcotics-trafficking boat operating in the Caribbean region. According to lawmakers who attended the briefing and spoke publicly afterward, the presentation included a classified video of the strike and subsequent actions taken by U.S. forces. As part of the briefing, U.S. Navy Admiral Frank M. Bradley, the senior officer overseeing the operation, addressed questions about the targeting process, the sequence of events, and the legal framework governing the strike.

Following the closed-door session, multiple members of Congress described the video in on-record comments to national media outlets. Lawmakers who viewed the footage said the video showed a first missile strike disabling the boat and leaving several individuals in the water. These lawmakers stated that the video then showed a second strike carried out while the individuals were still visible in the water following the initial explosion. Their accounts reflect what they personally observed during the briefing, but the footage itself remains classified and has not been publicly released by the Department of Defense.

During the briefing, Admiral Bradley told members of Congress that there was no directive from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth instructing U.S. forces to kill all individuals associated with the vessel. According to public statements given by lawmakers immediately after the briefing, Bradley emphasized that the U.S. military did not receive or act upon any order resembling a “kill-them-all” instruction and that the operation was conducted under established rules of engagement. Officials present said Bradley maintained that the operation targeted a vessel designated as a “narco-terrorist” threat under U.S. counter-trafficking authorities.

Lawmakers who attended the briefing expressed differing views regarding the appropriateness of the follow-up strike. Members from both parties stated publicly that the second strike was clearly visible in the classified recording and raised questions during the briefing about how the follow-up decision was made. Because the Pentagon has not publicly released any after-action reports, targeting assessments, or the recorded footage itself, the only publicly verifiable details remain those provided by officials speaking on the record after viewing the material. In their statements, lawmakers noted that the briefing confirmed U.S. forces conducted more than one strike during the incident but emphasized that the Pentagon has not disclosed further evidence or investigative documentation at this time.

Admiral Bradley, according to the lawmakers’ on-record summaries, defended the actions of the personnel involved and reiterated that the operation fell within the mission’s counter-narcotics authorities. He further stated that the military’s internal review process remains underway. As of today, no written report has been made public by the Department of Defense, and no transcript of Bradley’s closed-door testimony has been released. The Pentagon has acknowledged that the briefing took place but has not issued a public statement elaborating on the operational details or confirming any additional findings.

The September 2 strike is one of several maritime operations conducted under the administration’s ongoing campaign to target vessels assessed by U.S. defense officials as part of narcotics-trafficking networks in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific regions. Although military officials have previously confirmed that these missions are part of a broader counter-trafficking effort, no additional first-hand documentation has been released concerning the specific threat assessment for the September 2 vessel, the identities of those aboard, or the legal review underpinning the follow-up action observed by members of Congress.

Because the video shown to Congress remains classified, and because no official Pentagon documentation has been published that corroborates or contradicts the on-record descriptions provided by lawmakers, the details available to the public are limited to those congressional statements and the Department of Defense’s acknowledgment of the briefing. As both the congressional oversight process and internal defense reviews continue, additional information may become available, but no timeline for public disclosure has been announced.

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Sources

PRIMARY FIRST-HAND SOURCES

• Congressional classified briefing with U.S. Navy Admiral Frank M. Bradley (as described on the record by attending lawmakers).
• Department of Defense / Pentagon acknowledgment that the briefing occurred.

SECONDARY ATTRIBUTION-BASED SOURCES (for identifying who made public statements, not for independent factual claims)

• The Hill — lawmaker descriptions of viewing the classified video and summaries of Bradley’s on-record claims.
• The New York Times — additional on-record lawmaker descriptions of the video.
• The Washington Post — confirmations of Bradley’s statements denying any “kill order.”
• Reuters — congressional accounts describing a follow-up strike.