Congress is swinging a financial hammer at Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, threatening to gut his travel budget over unedited footage of a divisive U.S. military strike in the Caribbean.

The core issue revolves around a September 2 operation targeting an alleged Venezuelan narco-terrorist boat, with a second strike on survivors, now linking Hegseth’s funds to both the video’s release and a report on the Ukraine-Russia war, the Daily Mail reported. 

Hegseth greenlit the strikes but didn’t watch the full event live, raising eyebrows about the chain of command’s grip on such critical actions.

Strikes Ignite Congressional Firestorm

Admiral Frank Bradley, who commanded the operation, has Hegseth’s full public support for the follow-up strike, a move many see as vital to curb drug trafficking threats.

Bradley recently briefed lawmakers, showing video of the strike, yet the response was a predictable partisan divide.

Republicans defend the Pentagon’s actions as justified by the footage, while Democrats clamor for more details, seemingly itching to spin a security necessity into a scandal.

Budget Cuts Loom Over Secrecy

Congress isn’t holding back, embedding a demand in Sunday’s Pentagon funding bill for unedited footage of this strike and other drug-boat operations in the U.S. Southern Command’s zone.

If Hegseth doesn’t comply, his travel budget faces a 25 percent slash, a penalty that hits harder than a cold front in July.

The bill, up for a vote this week, also conditions the full budget on a Pentagon report about lessons from the Ukraine-Russia conflict, piling on the pressure.

Hegseth and Trump Weigh In

On Saturday at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Hegseth dodged a firm stance on the video, stating, “We’re reviewing that right now.”

President Donald Trump initially seemed open last week, saying, “I would have ‘no problem’ with the video being released,” but by Monday, he left the call to Hegseth.

Trump’s hands-off shift may irk transparency hawks, but his focus on smashing drug boats to protect American lives cuts through the red tape with raw clarity.

Caribbean Operations Under Scrutiny

This isn’t a one-off; over 20 U.S. military operations targeting alleged narco-terrorists in the Caribbean have led to at least 80 deaths, underscoring the brutal reality of this fight.

With Congress’s demand extending beyond the September 2 strike to other missions, this battle over footage feels less about one boat and more about who controls the Pentagon’s narrative.

Ultimately, as lawmakers push for accountability, the question lingers: is this genuine oversight or just political theater dressed up as principle?