The White House said on Monday that U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized an admiral to conduct multiple strikes on a vessel from Venezuela allegedly carrying illegal narcotics in September.

The Washington Post had reported that a second strike was ordered to take out two survivors from the initial strike and to comply with an order by Hegseth that everyone be killed.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who is holding a meeting about Venezuela with his national security team later Monday, said on Sunday that he would not have wanted a second strike on the boat and said Hegseth denied giving such an order.

But White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that Hegseth had authorized U.S. Admiral Frank Bradley to conduct the strikes.

"Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bra

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