Congress to withhold Pentagon travel funds until it sees boat strike videos
Lawmakers quietly stuck the requirement into their must-pass annual defense policy bill.
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The provision appeared as lawmakers look into a controversial follow-up strike on Sept. 2 that killed two survivors of an initial attack, an action some experts warn amounts to a war crime.
Hegseth on Saturday wouldnt say whether he would release the video, citing potential safety concerns for troops. But President Donald Trump has said he would have no problem doing so. The Pentagon chief has publicly backed the decision to kill the survivors, although said that Adm. Frank Bradley head of U.S. Special Operations Command made the final call on the second strike.
Bradley and Joint Chiefs Chair Dan Caine last week briefed top lawmakers on national security committees and showed the unedited footage of the operation. But lawmakers disagreed about what the video revealed. Some top Republicans who viewed the unedited footage contend it vindicates the administrations position. Democrats have called on the Pentagon to release it more broadly.
Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), following the briefing, also said he wants rank-and-file committee members to see the footage.
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https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/08/ndaa-boat-strikes-congress-hegseth-without-funds-00680679