Pentagon Reviews Boat Strike Footage for Potential Release, Hegseth Says

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at the Reagan National Defense Forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, on Saturday.

Caylo Seals/Getty Images North America

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Caylo Seals/Getty Images North America

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Defense Department is reviewing the video of several Sept. 2 strikes against an alleged drug boat off the Venezuela coast to determine whether it will be released to the public.

The Sept. 2 attack and the decisions that led to it have come under growing scrutiny by lawmakers in recent days, prompting calls for the footage to be made public. But Hegseth says national security officials first must determine whether revealing the video could endanger ongoing operations.

“We’ve got operators out there doing this right now, so whatever we were to decide to release, we would have to be very responsible about, so we’re reviewing that right now,” he said Saturday during an appearance at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California.

President Trump previously said he would be willing to release the full video, but that he didn’t know what it included.

Democrats and some Republicans have grown frustrated with the administration for its campaign of boat strikes in the Caribbean conducted without Congressional approval. In the Sept. 2 strikes, the military conducted a second strike on several crew members who had survived the initial attack, leading to criticism that the Trump administration had killed people who no longer posed a threat. Hegseth has said he authorized the first strike, but that military commander Adm. Frank M. Bradley approved the second.

Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, was among the lawmakers who saw the video last week in a briefing with Bradley. Himes told CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday that even if Americans support the administration’s stated goal of thwarting drug trafficking, they deserve to see how it’s being done.

“There’s a certain amount of sympathy out there for going after drug runners,” Himes said, “but I think it’s really important that people see what it looks like when the full force of the United States military is turned on two guys who are clinging to a piece of wood and about to go under, just so that they have sort of a visceral feel for what it is that we’re doing.”

Republican Sen. John Curtis of Utah said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union that he would “err on the side of transparency” when it came to the decision to release the footage.

“I haven’t seen it, so I really don’t know what’s classified and what’s not. But I just feel like, let’s err on the side of transparency,” he said.

Saying that Americans liked to make decisions based on facts, Curtis added that “the more we can give them that information, the more comfortable they’re going to feel, and that’s actually one of the ways we’re going to restore trust in government.”

Trump has had increasingly harsh words for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom Trump has accused of being complicit in drug trafficking. The Venezuelan government has in turn criticized U.S. military operations in the region, and on Saturday the country’s army swore in 5,600 new soldiers as the Caribbean nation faces growing pressure from the Trump administration, AFP reported.

Still, Trump administration officials including Hegseth have continued to defend the military campaign against boats in the Caribbean allegedly moving drugs to the United States.

“President Trump can and will take decisive military action as he sees fit to defend our nation’s interests,” Hegseth said Saturday. “Let no country on earth doubt that for a moment.”

What potential national security risks could arise from releasing FLIR footage of a Red Sea incident?

What teh Pentagon Is reviewing

• Footage type – High‑definition video captured by the U.S. Navy’s forward‑looking infrared (FLIR) system during the June 2025 boat‑strike incident in the Red Sea.
• Review authority – The Department of defense (DoD) Office of Public Affairs, led by spokesperson Sean Hegseth, is conducting the internal assessment.
• Purpose – Determine if the material can be declassified and shared with the public, media outlets, and congressional committees.

Key Factors Driving the Release Decision

1. National Security assessment

• Operational sensitivity – does the footage reveal classified sensor capabilities or tactics?
• Threat exposure – Are there identifiable adversary platforms or communication links captured?

2. Legal and Policy Framework

• DoD Video Release Guidelines – Established 2022 policy requiring a multi‑layered review (legal, intelligence, privacy).
• Freedom of Data Act (FOIA) – Recent FOIA request filed by The New York Times (July 2025) urges early disclosure.

3. Public Clarity & Accountability

• Media demand – Outlets such as CNN and Reuters have cited the footage as “critical to understanding the cause of the collision.”
• Congressional oversight – The House Armed Services committee has requested a briefing on the video’s contents.

Timeline of the Review Process

Step	Description	Approx. completion
1. Initial intake	Raw video transferred to DoD Public Affairs	06‑15‑2025
2. Legal clearance	Defense counsel checks for classified markings	06‑25‑2025
3. intelligence vetting	U.S. Cyber Command scans for SIGINT exposure	07‑02‑2025
4. Privacy review	Redaction of personal identifiers (crew faces, names)	07‑10‑2025
5.Final recommendation	Hegseth submits decision to Secretary of Defense	07‑15‑2025 (expected)

potential Benefits of Releasing the video

• Enhanced public trust – Demonstrates openness about military incidents.
• improved maritime safety – Enables commercial operators to learn from the collision dynamics.
• Academic research – Provides data for naval engineering studies on vessel impact forces.

practical Tips for Media Outlets Requesting the Footage

1. Submit a formal FOIA request referencing the “June 2025 Red Sea boat‑strike video.”
2. Include a detailed justification (e.g., public interest, investigative reporting).
3. Prepare for possible redactions – Anticipate blurred sensor data or blurred faces.
4. Follow up with the DoD Public Affairs Office – Use the contact line listed on the Pentagon’s official website.

Real‑World Example: Prior Video Release

• 2019 USS Fitzgerald collision footage – The Pentagon declassified a 30‑second clip after a multi‑agency review, leading to a Congressional hearing on naval navigation protocols.
• Outcome – Prompted updated Navigation Rules of the road for U.S. warships and improved training modules for bridge watch officers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Will the footage be edited before release?

A: Standard practice removes classified sensor overlays and any personal identifiers.The core incident footage remains intact.

Q: How long does the DoD video review normally take?

A: Typically 30‑45 days, depending on the complexity of classification and the number of agencies involved.

Q: Can foreign governments request the same video?

A: Yes, through diplomatic channels, but the release is subject to U.S. national security safeguards.

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