Pentagon declines to share full, unedited video of Venezuela operation
(MENAFN) US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated Tuesday that the Pentagon has no plans to release the “full, unedited” footage of a September 2 strike on an alleged drug boat off Venezuela’s coast.
“In keeping with long-standing Department of Defense policy, we’re not going to release a top-secret, full, unedited video to the general public,” Hegseth told reporters on Capitol Hill.
Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended a classified briefing with senators on the operation. He said the unedited video will be shown to members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees on Wednesday, alongside Navy Adm. Frank Bradley, who commanded the strike. Hegseth praised Bradley, saying he “has made all the right calls” and described the mission as “highly successful” in countering drug cartels.
Rubio said the operation targeted the “infrastructure of these terrorist organizations that are poisoning the country” and emphasized the mission’s role in stopping the flow of drugs to the US.
Following the briefing, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the Pentagon’s lack of transparency, noting that all 100 senators were not given access to the unedited footage. “If they can’t be transparent on this, how can you trust their transparency on all the other issues swirling about in the Caribbean?” he said.
The controversy underscores ongoing congressional scrutiny of US operations in the region and the tension between national security secrecy and legislative oversight.
“In keeping with long-standing Department of Defense policy, we’re not going to release a top-secret, full, unedited video to the general public,” Hegseth told reporters on Capitol Hill.
Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended a classified briefing with senators on the operation. He said the unedited video will be shown to members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees on Wednesday, alongside Navy Adm. Frank Bradley, who commanded the strike. Hegseth praised Bradley, saying he “has made all the right calls” and described the mission as “highly successful” in countering drug cartels.
Rubio said the operation targeted the “infrastructure of these terrorist organizations that are poisoning the country” and emphasized the mission’s role in stopping the flow of drugs to the US.
Following the briefing, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the Pentagon’s lack of transparency, noting that all 100 senators were not given access to the unedited footage. “If they can’t be transparent on this, how can you trust their transparency on all the other issues swirling about in the Caribbean?” he said.
The controversy underscores ongoing congressional scrutiny of US operations in the region and the tension between national security secrecy and legislative oversight.
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