Hegseth: Admiral Who Ordered 2nd Boat Strike Is ‘American Hero’

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday voiced strong support for Navy Admiral Frank M. “Mitch” Bradley, who reportedly ordered a second military strike on a boat suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea on September 2, the Hill reports.

“Let’s make one thing crystal clear: Admiral Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support,” Hegseth wrote on X. “I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made—on this September 2 mission and all others since.”

Hegseth added, “America is fortunate to have such men protecting us. When this @DeptofWar says we have the back of our warriors—we mean it.”

Hegseth himself is facing scrutiny over the strike. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt previously stated that Hegseth authorized Bradley to carry out strikes on boats suspected of drug trafficking, emphasizing that Bradley acted within his authority and the law during the second strike, which aimed to neutralize a threat to the U.S. However, a military official told the Washington Post that Leavitt’s statement “left it up to interpretation” whether Hegseth or Bradley was responsible for the second attack. Multiple investigations into the incident are ongoing, Time reports.

The Trump administration has claimed that the strikes killed 11 “narco-terrorists,” though no evidence has been made public. President Trump said Sunday he believes Hegseth “did not order the death” of the two survivors of the initial strike, who were later killed in the second attack.

The Daily Beast characterized the administration’s response as “throwing [Bradley] to the wolves” and deflecting blame to the naval commander, while sources told the Post there are concerns Bradley could become a scapegoat. The September 2 incident marked the start of a series of U.S. military actions against vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, which have resulted in more than 80 deaths. CBS News has compiled a detailed timeline of the administration’s account of the strike.

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