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Last Updated: December 4, 2025, 6:23 AM EST
President Donald Trump answered questions about a controversial Sept. 2 boat strike while in the Oval Office Wednesday afternoon. Trump, who said Tuesday that he "didn't know" about a second strike on an alleged drug boat in September that reports say killed two survivors of an initial strike, said Wednesday that he would be open to releasing more video of the boat strike.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that he didn't see the second strike and didn't see survivors from the initial strike. Hegseth has backed Adm. Mitch Bradley, who the White House said made the decision for the second strike. Bradley is set to brief the Senate and House Armed Services committees on the strikes on Thursday.
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Here's how the news is developing.
Dec 02, 2025, 11:14 AM EST
Johnson on 2nd boat strike: 'I'm not going to prejudge any of that'
When asked about reports that the U.S. military killed two survivors of an earlier strike on a boat suspected of ferrying drugs in the Caribbean Sea in September, House Speaker Mike Johnson said he is "not going to prejudge any of that."
"In a preliminary review, the admiral who ordered the second strike thought it was necessary to complete the mission," Johnson said, referring to Adm. Mitch Bradley. "He's highly decorated, highly respected admiral in the Navy and he made that call."
Johnson said he has not reviewed the "scope of the mission" of "that particular strike," but he said that the incident will be something that "Congress will look at." He added that "second strikes are not unusual."
"I think it's very important for everybody to reserve judgment and not leap to conclusions until you have all the facts, and that's what we'll be uncovering," Johnson told reporters on Tuesday.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Dec 02, 2025, 11:10 AM EST
Johnson doesn't provide clarity on health care subsidies
House Speaker Mike Johnson was asked about the House's plan to extend health care subsidies for Affordable Care Act beneficiaries after a reporter said two Republican members said "House Republicans are likely to get on board" with a deal.
The speaker could not confirm that update only saying that the Republicans "are moving forward" and that health care was a "complex issue."
"I can't project in advance what that will be because I don't know what the consensus is in that room," Johnson said of the plan. "But you will see our sleeves rolled up and that work being done in earnest this week as we bring all that together."
Dec 02, 2025, 9:57 AM EST
Hegseth says he stands by Adm. Bradley
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put out a statement Monday night on his personal X account backing Adm. Mitch Bradley, the head of the United States Special Operations Command, who the White House claims ordered a second controversial strike on an alleged boat in September.
Staff Sgt. Landon Carter/U.S. Army via Reuters
"Let’s make one thing crystal clear: Admiral Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support. I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made — on the September 2 mission and all others since," Hegseth said in his post.
One person familiar with details of the incident confirmed to ABC News that there were survivors from the initial strike on the boat and that those survivors were killed in subsequent strikes.
-ABC News' Luis Martinez
