Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth firmly rejected calls to publicly release the unedited video of a U.S. military “double tap” strike that killed two survivors of an initial attack on September 2, amid growing congressional pressure and questions about the Trump administration’s escalating operations in the Caribbean.

Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday following a classified briefing with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Hegseth dismissed the idea of making the top-secret footage available to the general public.

“Of course we’re not going to release a top-secret, full, unedited video of that to the general public,”he stated, stressing the sensitive nature of the material.

The incident in question occurred during a U.S. operation targeting an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, where forces reportedly struck survivors after an initial hit—a tactic known as a “double tap” that has drawn ethical and legal concerns. Lawmakers, particularly Democrats, have intensified demands for transparency over the past two weeks, arguing the video is crucial for oversight of the administration’s aggressive counter-narcotics campaign.

A select group of lawmakers has already viewed the footage, with members of the Senate and House Armed Services committees scheduled to see it on Wednesday. Hegseth confirmed the Pentagon’s intent to share it “with the appropriate committees,” but declined to take further questions.

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Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the ranking member on the Senate Intelligence Committee, accused the Pentagon of deliberate delays.

“I think they’re trying to run out the clock in terms of holding off giving it to the rest of the senators, so then the Senate doesn’t see it before we break for the holidays,”Warner told reporters, labeling the approach as stonewalling.

Even some Republicans echoed calls for broader access. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina advocated for releasing the video to all members of Congress.

“I think the video should be released to everybody in Congress,”Graham said.“The least of my concerns is this friggin’ video – release it — make your own decisions, but this is lawful.”

The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of intensified U.S. military actions in the region. On Monday, U.S. Southern Command announced that strikes on three suspected drug vessels had killed eight alleged smugglers, pushing the total fatalities to over 90 since the campaign launched in early September.

Graham used the briefing to press for clarity on the administration’s objectives, questioning whether the operations aim beyond counter-drugs to destabilize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

“I asked the question, ‘What happens when he leaves?’ And they say that this is counter-drugs; ‘it’d be nice if he left,’”Graham recounted.“That’s not a good answer. I want to reassert again — you cannot allow this man to be standing after this display of force.”

As congressional holidays approach, the standoff highlights partisan divides over military transparency and foreign policy, with Democrats pushing for accountability and some Republicans focusing on strategic goals in Latin America.