The White House said on Monday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized an admiral to conduct multiple strikes on a vessel from Venezuela allegedly carrying illegal narcotics in September.
The Washington Post had reported that a second strike was ordered to take out two survivors from the initial strike and to comply with an order by Hegseth that everyone be killed.
President Donald Trump, who is holding a meeting about Venezuela with his national security team later in the day, said on Sunday that he would not have wanted a second strike on the boat and said Hegseth denied giving such an order.
But White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that Hegseth had authorized Admiral Frank Bradley to conduct the strikes.
"Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated," Leavitt said.
Leavitt said the strike was conducted in "self defense" to protect U.S. interests, took place in international waters and was in line with the law of armed conflict.
Critics have questioned the legality of the strikes, and both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have pledged to look into them.
Trump has flagged the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. On Saturday, he said the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered "closed in its entirety," but gave no further details, stirring anxiety and confusion in Caracas.
Trump confirmed on Sunday that he had spoken to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom the U.S. considers an illegitimate leader, but Trump declined to provide details of the conversation.
The Trump administration has been weighing options to combat what it has portrayed as Maduro's role in supplying illegal drugs that have killed Americans. Maduro has denied having any links to the illegal drug trade.
Reuters has reported the options under U.S. consideration include an attempt to overthrow Maduro, and that the U.S. military is poised for a new phase of operations after a massive military buildup in the Caribbean and nearly three months of strikes on suspected drug boats off Venezuela's coast. Trump also has authorized covert CIA operations in the country.
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Russian commanders informed President Vladimir Putin that their forces have seized the frontline Ukrainian towns of Pokrovsk and Vovchansk, Kremlin sp...
Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old man accused of fatally shooting United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan a year ago, appeared in court on Mon...
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced on Monday that Germany and Poland are set to sign a defence collaboration agreement next year, aimed at dee...
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has begun an official visit to Budapest, strengthening Georgia’s diplomatic outreach and expanding cooperation on Europe...
U.S. consumers are expected to spend $14.2 billion on Cyber Monday, according to Adobe Analytics, marking a 6.3% increase from last year and capping a record-breaking holiday shopping weekend.
Russian commanders informed President Vladimir Putin that their forces have seized the frontline Ukrainian towns of Pokrovsk and Vovchansk, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.
The White House said on Monday it is increasingly optimistic about reaching a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine, as President Donald Trump’s special envoy travels to Moscow following talks with Ukrainian officials in Florida.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stressed that Ukraine’s priority in ongoing diplomatic negotiations is securing robust, legally binding security guarantees from Europe and the United States.
Moscow and Kyiv painted very different pictures of the battlefield on Sunday, each insisting momentum was on their side as the fighting around Pokrovsk intensified.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Sunday that he had spoken with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, but did not provide details on what the two leaders discussed.
Security concerns across Central Asia have intensified rapidly after officials in Dushanbe reported a series of lethal incursions originating from Afghan soil, marking a significant escalation in border violence.
French President Emmanuel Macron addressed critical issues surrounding Ukraine’s ongoing conflict, the role of American mediation, and European involvement during a press conference on Monday, reaffirming France’s commitment to supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and ensuring peace in the region.
U.S. and Ukrainian officials held what both sides called productive talks on Sunday about a Russia peace deal, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing optimism about progress despite challenges.
The United States will reduce import duties on South Korean automobiles to 15%, effective retroactively from November 1, according to an announcement by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday.
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the recent attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea, calling the actions "unacceptable" and issuing a stern warning to all involved parties.
West African leaders pressed Guinea-Bissau’s coup officers on Monday (1 December) to restore constitutional order, urging them to allow the release of election results from the disputed 23 November presidential vote, according to a Reuters witness at the meeting.
U.S. consumers are expected to spend $14.2 billion on Cyber Monday, according to Adobe Analytics, marking a 6.3% increase from last year and capping a record-breaking holiday shopping weekend.
Russian commanders informed President Vladimir Putin that their forces have seized the frontline Ukrainian towns of Pokrovsk and Vovchansk, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.
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