The Navy admiral who allegedly ordered U.S. forces to fire on survivors from an attack on a suspected drug boat is scheduled to brief top national security lawmakers in a classified session on Capitol Hill this Thursday. Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley, now leading U.S. Special Operations Command, is expected to deliver information that could shape the ongoing congressional investigation into how Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth handled the operation near Venezuela — and whether the strike broke the law.
Lawmakers are demanding a full explanation after The Washington Post revealed that Bradley, on Sept. 2, ordered a second strike targeting two survivors to comply with Hegseth’s directive to “kill everybody.” Legal experts say deliberately targeting survivors could constitute a criminal act, prompting bipartisan calls for accountability.
Bradley will brief key congressional leaders, including the Republican and Democratic heads of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, as well as senior members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
“This is extremely serious,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, noting the potential legal exposure for U.S. military personnel. “Congress and the American public still don’t have the basic facts.”
As Bradley faces questioning, lawmakers want clarity on two main issues: What exact orders did Hegseth give? And why was a second strike carried out after survivors were already in the water?
Democrats also want the Trump administration to release the full Sept. 2 strike video along with written orders and directives from Hegseth. Republicans, while not pushing publicly for these documents, promise a comprehensive review.
Rising pressure on Hegseth
President Donald Trump has publicly backed Hegseth, but scrutiny continues to grow. Hegseth has said details of the operation were obscured by the “fog of war” and that he “didn’t stick around” for the second strike, though he insists Bradley acted appropriately and with full authority.
Meanwhile, the Defense Department’s inspector general is expected to release a report criticizing Hegseth’s use of the Signal messaging app to share classified details about a separate military strike. The report concludes he put personnel at risk, though the Pentagon has framed it as clearing him of wrongdoing.
Who is Adm. Bradley?
At the time of the boat attack, Bradley led Joint Special Operations Command, overseeing elite special forces units from Fort Bragg. A Navy SEAL veteran with more than 30 years of service, he was one of the earliest special operations officers deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11. His promotion to admiral and elevation to SOCOM commander received bipartisan praise earlier this year.
“I expect Bradley to be honest and shed light on what happened,” said Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. Republicans like Sen. Thom Tillis echoed support for Bradley’s integrity but insisted that anyone involved in an unlawful attack must be held accountable.
What else are lawmakers seeking?
The scope of the investigation remains broad. Lawmakers have requested executive orders authorizing the operation, full strike footage, intelligence assessments that identified the targets, and the rules of engagement determining who was considered a combatant.
Military officials acknowledged that survivors were visible in the water after the first strike, but said the follow-on attack was intended to fully sink the vessel. What remains unclear — and central to Bradley’s briefing — is who ordered the second strike and what involvement Hegseth may have had.
Some Republicans close to Trump have defended Hegseth, framing the operations as legitimate action against “narco-terrorists.” But more than 80 people have died in the series of strikes since September, intensifying questions about legality and oversight.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Hegseth bears responsibility regardless of whether he directly ordered the second attack. “He may not have been in the room, but he was in the loop,” Blumenthal said. “His order set in motion events that foreseeably led to the deaths of these survivors.”