Pete Hegseth said there are no plans to release an unedited video of a boat strike to the public, addressing questions over transparency surrounding the incident.
Speaking to reporters, Hegseth said the Department of Defense had reviewed the matter and would not make the full, unedited footage available, citing operational and security considerations. He did not provide further details on the content of the video or the circumstances under which it was recorded.
The remarks come amid scrutiny over military operations and the release of classified or sensitive material, with critics calling for greater public disclosure and officials stressing the need to protect sources, methods and personnel.
00:07I'll be introducing a live unanimous consent request to release the video both to the full Congress but also to the American people.
00:16The public should see this, and I hope that we'll have support to make it public.
00:21I found the legal explanations and the strategic explanations incoherent, but I think American people should see this video, and all members of Congress should have that opportunity.
00:33I certainly want it for myself.
00:35Thank you, Senator.
00:36Secretary.
00:38Make a hole for the full camera.
00:39Wide mouth.
00:41Thank you, guys.
00:42Obviously, we had a classified hearing, so the details of which we can't discuss.
00:46It's, I believe, our 22nd or 23rd bipartisan engagement.
00:48We'll continue to engage with Congress on this.
00:51We're headed to the House now to do a similar briefing and provide updates on this counter-drug mission,
00:56which is focused on dismantling the infrastructure of these terrorist organizations that are operating in our hemisphere,
01:03undermining the security of Americans, killing Americans, poisoning Americans.
01:08And this has been a highly successful mission that's ongoing and continued,
01:11and we're pleased to be here today to update Congress on how that's developing and how that's moving forward.
01:17What does it just mean?
01:18I would just echo that.
01:20It is the 22nd bipartisan briefing we've had on a highly successful mission to counter designated terrorist organizations,
01:29cartels, bringing weapons, weapons meaning drugs, to the American people and poisoning the American people for far too long.
01:36So we're proud of what we're doing, able to lay it out very directly to these senators and soon to the House.
01:41It's all classified.
01:42We can't talk about it now.
01:44We're also going to, tomorrow, allow the Hask and Sask to see the unedited video of the September 2nd,
01:51alongside with Admiral Bradley, who has done a fantastic job, has made all the right calls,
01:56and we're glad he'll be there to do it.
01:57But in keeping with longstanding Department of War policy, Department of Defense policy,
02:02of course we're not going to release a top-secret, full, unedited video of that to the general public.
02:09Hask and Sask and appropriate committees will see it, but not the general.
02:13Very good briefing.
02:25Before I had this job, I was a judge advocate for about 30 years.
02:29There's no doubt in my mind that we have the legal authority to blow up these votes, interdict these votes.
02:36Why not release this video to the whole Congress?
02:41I think it should be.
02:42Is it a mistake?
02:44I think the video should be given to everybody in Congress.
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