Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Tuesday defended the secondary strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea, citing the “fog of war” as reason for his not seeing any survivors in the water when the strike was ordered and launched.

Hegseth’s comments came during a cabinet meeting hosted by President Donald Trump the day after the administration insisted the strike, which it says was ordered by Navy Vice Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley, was lawful.

Legal experts say the U.S. military would have committed a crime if survivors were killed, and lawmakers have announced congressional reviews of the strikes.

Bradley is expected to provide a classified briefing Thursday to lawmakers overseeing the military.

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