Senate Armed Services Chair Says ‘No Evidence of War Crimes’ in Double-Tap Strike

Sen. Roger Wicker, the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Thursday that he has seen “no evidence of war crimes” during the early September attack on an alleged drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean Sea that resulted in the death of nearly a dozen people.

“I am confident that the strikes that have taken place thus far against narco-terrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of operations were conducted based on sound legal advice,” Wicker wrote in a statement. “Both military and civilian Pentagon leaders have worked in good faith to provide answers to us without any delays. Today, I am satisfied with all the information I have received on this matter.”

“I have seen no evidence of war crimes. The fact is that our military is asked to make incredibly difficult decisions. Service members must do so based on the best available information and often under very tight timelines,” he continued. “In order to safeguard our country and protect our way of life, they undertake this responsibility with proficiency and integrity.”

Wicker’s statement comes after lawmakers were presented with three classified briefings regarding the U.S. military’s decision to launch a fatal second strike on two men who survived an initial attack on an alleged drug-smuggling boat.

Efforts to continue oversight on the strike are likely to end in the lower chamber as well, after House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers declared last week that he doesn’t intend to pursue a further investigation. Both committee leaders were briefed on a full video recording of the attack.

“It’s done,” Rogers told reporters when asked about his next steps toward investigating the incident. “I’ve got all the answers I needed.”

While Wicker’s statement appears to signal that Republicans are concluding their oversight of the strike, Democrats left their last briefing earlier this week with a different conclusion.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has distanced himself from taking full responsibility for ordering the strikes, which advocacy groups and Democrats have argued may amount to a war crime. Instead, Hegseth and the White House have said the official order came from Head of Special Operations Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley.

The administration is also refusing to release full footage of the strike to the public. Some Democratic lawmakers who viewed the video said it is a clear example of wrongdoing.

“What I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things I’ve seen in my time in public service,” Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told reporters after a Dec. 3 briefing.

In a post on X Tuesday, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy wrote: “Bottom line: there is no legal or national security justification for what they’re doing. Not even close.”