The White House is defending the Pentagon over allegations it carried out war crimes during an attack on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. Last week, The Washington Post reported U.S. forces sank a vessel with 11 people aboard during a September 2 strike, then launched a second strike to kill two survivors as they clung to the smoldering wreckage of their ship. On Monday, the White House confirmed the second strike occurred, but claimed the order to kill the survivors of the initial attack came not from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as The Washington Post reported, but from Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley, who at the time was the head of JSOC, the Joint Special Operations Command. This is White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt: “With respect to the strikes in question on September 2nd, Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated.”

On Monday evening, Secretary Hegseth wrote on social media, “Let’s make one thing crystal clear: Admiral Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support.” His comments came after Democrats and some Republican lawmakers said Hegseth may have committed war crimes if he ordered U.S. forces to attack survivors. We’ll have more about war crimes on the high seas after headlines, when we’ll speak with Georgetown law professor David Cole.