Admiral testified Hegseth did not give 'kill them all' order, US lawmakers say

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 5 min read 100% complete December 4, 2025 at 09:26 PM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

A US Navy admiral, Frank Bradley, testified in closed-door hearings before the House of Representatives and Senate regarding a controversial double military strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean on September 2nd. Lawmakers reviewed footage of the incident amid ongoing questions about the legality of using military force against suspected drug boats. The testimony centered around whether Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered to "kill them all," which Admiral Bradley denied. Lawmakers expressed mixed reactions, with some defending the strikes as professional and necessary, while others raised concerns about the use of force and called for further investigation and public release of the video. The hearings followed a separate US military strike in the eastern Pacific Ocean, reportedly directed by Hegseth, which resulted in four deaths.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

United States ×250% US Navy 60% Frank Bradley ×270% Pete Hegseth ×480%

Keywords

military strike 90% drug boat 80% congressional investigation 70% adm frank bradley 70% legality of military force 60% pete hegseth 60% classified briefing 50% house armed services committee 50% kill them all 40%