In the days after a Washington Post report raised questions about a September strike by the US military on a suspected drug trafficking boat in the Caribbean, lawmakers in Congress pledged to investigate further.
It was a rare moment of bipartisan concern about a controversial Trump administration action – prompting speculation that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was narrowly confirmed to office in January, might be on shaky ground.
"Members are very concerned," Republican Congressman Mike Turner said in a television interview on Thursday morning. He added that his colleagues were questioning the accuracy of information provided to them by the Trump administration.
By Thursday afternoon, however, after senior members of Congress reviewed footage and heard from the admiral in charge of the operation, familiar partisan divisions had begun to reemerge.
Republicans defended the boat strike operation – and praised Hegseth.
