US military strikes in the Caribbean
Boat attack: Trump strengthens US minister under pressure
Updated 12/8/2025 – 11:30 p.mReading time: 1 min.
The US military repeatedly attacks alleged drug smugglers in the Caribbean. A second attack on survivors puts the defense minister under pressure. Donald Trump positions himself.
US President Donald Trump is supporting Defense Minister Pete Hegseth, who has come under pressure over a deadly military attack on a boat in the Caribbean. When asked by journalists whether he would order Hegseth to release the full video footage of the attack, Trump said: “Whatever he decides is fine with me.”
For days, pressure has been growing on Hegseth to fully clarify the circumstances of the attack on a boat allegedly loaded with drugs and to release video material. In the military strike on September 2nd, two people who initially survived were said to have been killed in a targeted second attack. According to experts, this could have violated international law. Hegseth, whom the US government recently named war minister, denies direct personal responsibility for the second attack.
Trump reiterated to reporters at the White House that the boat was carrying drugs, saying: “I saw the video.”
Last week, the US President appeared open to the video release. Asked whether the Defense Department was willing to do that, Trump said: “I don’t know what they have, but whatever it is, we would definitely release it, no problem.”
For many weeks, the US military has been attacking and killing alleged drug smugglers in boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. The US government justifies this by saying it is protecting its own nation from drugs.
