President Donald Trump convened a high-level national security meeting in the Oval Office on Monday to determine next steps on Venezuela, as the administration faces mounting scrutiny over a September military strike in the Caribbean that reportedly killed survivors after an initial hit on a suspected drug vessel.
Senior officials expected at the meeting included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
The meeting came just before 5 p.m., as the US continues to escalate pressure on Venezuela through military operations and naval presence in the Caribbean under “Operation Southern Spear.” More than 12 warships and 15,000 troops have been deployed to the region.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump was reviewing “this subject and many others” with his national security team, calling it part of the president’s duty “to ensure peace throughout the world.”
Controversy Over September Strike Intensifies
The administration is under bipartisan pressure to release further information about the September 2 strike, during which US forces targeted a suspected Venezuelan drug boat. Reports claim a second strike was ordered to kill remaining survivors — an allegation lawmakers say could constitute a war crime, as the US is not formally at war with Venezuela.
Sen. Angus King said Monday:
“If a second strike was launched specifically to kill survivors in the water, that’s a stone-cold war crime.”
Later, the White House identified the official who authorized the follow-up strike as Adm. Frank M. “Mitch” Bradley, commander of US Special Operations Command. Leavitt insisted Bradley acted “well within his authority.”
“Secretary Hegseth authorized the kinetic strike,” she said, adding the mission was conducted “in self-defense” and complied with the law of armed conflict.
Pentagon Officials Defend the Decision
Secretary Hegseth defended Bradley publicly, writing on X:
“Admiral Mitch Bradley is an American hero… I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made.”
Trump, however, offered mixed comments, telling reporters that he “wouldn’t have wanted a second strike” and questioned whether the follow-up attack occurred as described.
Congress Demands Access to Evidence
Lawmakers say they plan to investigate the chain of command and legal justification. Sen. Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called for the release of an unedited video of the strike to determine whether those hit were combatants or survivors.
Congress has already received 13 bipartisan briefings, according to the White House, along with access to classified legal opinions from the Department of Justice.
US Escalates Pressure on Maduro Governmen
Despite the controversy, the administration appears committed to expanding its campaign. Trump recently said the US will move to stop Venezuelan drug trafficking “by land” in addition to sea routes.
Over the weekend, Trump issued a public warning to airlines, pilots and criminal networks to avoid Venezuelan airspace, though he downplayed the significance of the message.
Trump also confirmed a phone call with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, shortly after officially designating Maduro and his allies as part of a foreign terrorist organization, a move that expands US military options.
Mixed Messaging Over Pardons and Drug Policy
GOP Rep. Maria Salazar criticized Trump’s recent announcement that he intended to pardon former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted of drug trafficking in the US.
Leavitt defended the move, calling the conviction an example of “Biden-era over-prosecution.”
“President Trump has made it clear he is committed to stopping illegal narcotics at home and abroad,” she said. “He is also correcting the wrongs of a weaponized Justice Department.”
