Democratic Congressman and Marine Corps veteran Seth Moulton has launched a sharp critique against the Trump administration, accusing it of abandoning a senior Navy admiral amid controversy over a military airstrike. The dispute centres on a September incident involving a suspected Venezuelan drug boat in the Caribbean.
The Controversial 'Double Tap' Strike
The controversy erupted over a U.S. military operation on September 2. According to reports, an initial airstrike targeted a boat suspected of drug trafficking. A subsequent, second strike—often called a "double tap"—was then conducted on survivors clinging to the vessel's wreckage. The ethical and tactical justification for this follow-up strike has since become a major point of contention.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the incident on Monday, December 2. She stated that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was unaware of the decision for the second strike. Instead, she pointed to Navy Admiral Frank Bradley, asserting he "worked well within his authority" to authorize the action that finished off the already-damaged boat.
Conflicting Accounts and Accusations
This official version directly conflicts with a prior report from The Washington Post. That investigation claimed Admiral Bradley had relayed an alleged order from Secretary Hegseth to "kill everybody" with the second strike. When questioned by reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, former President Donald Trump said he would not have wanted a second strike and expressed doubt that Hegseth used those specific words.
In a televised interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper on Monday, Rep. Moulton did not mince words. "That's exactly what's going on," the Massachusetts lawmaker stated, accusing the administration of "throwing" Admiral Bradley "under the bus." He reinforced his stance, saying, "This administration has no respect for our uniformed services. We've known that from the very beginning, and that's exactly what they're showing right now."
A Battle of Narratives and Accountability
The narrative battle intensified on Monday night. Defense Secretary Hegseth posted on the social media platform X, appearing to support Admiral Bradley while distancing himself from the decision. "I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made — on the September 2 mission and all others since," Hegseth wrote, adding that the admiral has "my 100% support." He further told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that he did not "stick around" to witness the second strike.
Moulton, however, interpreted Hegseth's statements as a classic evasion of responsibility. Elsewhere in his CNN interview, the congressman asserted that Hegseth "never takes accountability for his own actions." Moulton emphasized the need for legal accountability, stating, "People need to be held accountable to the law, and that applies to the Secretary of Defense, it [also] applies to the commander-in-chief."
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment from HuffPost regarding the developing story. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between political leadership and military protocol, with a decorated veteran lawmaker now serving as a vocal critic from within the political arena.
