White House Defends Second Strike on Boat

The White House on Monday defended as lawful two separate missile strikes on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean, the second coming as two survivors clung to the vessel after the first strike. But White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt also clarified that the second strike order came from the special ops commander of the mission—Admiral Frank "Mitch" Bradley—and not from Hegseth directly, reports Mediaite.

• "President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have made it clear that presidentially designated narco-terrorist groups are subject to lethal targeting in accordance with the laws of war," Leavitt told reporters, per the Hill. "With respect to the strikes in question on September 2, Secretary Hegseth authorized Adm. Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes."

• On Friday, the Washington Post reported that Hegseth gave a verbal "kill everybody" order before the first strike. Bradley then ordered the second strike to fulfill that order, according to the story. The incident has raised questions about the legality of both, but Leavitt rejected those concerns, per Time. "Because this administration has designated these narco-terrorists as foreign terrorist organizations, the president has a right to take them out if they are threatening the United States of America," she said.
• During Monday's press conference, CBS reporter Gabe Gutierrez sought clarification on the second strike, notes Mediaite. "Admiral Bradley was the one that gave an order for a second strike?" he asked, and Leavitt responded, "And he was well within his authority to do so."
• On Sunday, President Trump defended Hegseth but also said he wouldn't have wanted the second strike if he were on the mission.