Blue Press Journal (DC) – In a troubling display of government opacity, Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon will not release the full video of the September 2 boat strikes — lethal actions taken against alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. Speaking after briefing senators, Hegseth framed the strikes as part of the U.S. military’s ongoing campaign to interdict narcotics trafficking. But the refusal to share complete footage should concern anyone who values transparency and democratic oversight.
If these strikes were as justified and clean as officials claim, why hide the full record? Selective disclosure allows the Pentagon to control the narrative, showing only what bolsters its case while keeping potentially controversial or damaging evidence out of public view. This is not a trivial matter — the use of lethal force against vessels on the high seas has serious implications under both U.S. and international law.
Hegseth’s stance reflects a broader pattern: invoking national security to avoid accountability. But without independent scrutiny, the public is forced to take the government’s word on events that could involve civilian casualties, misidentifications, or violations of maritime law. The military can and should protect operational security, but that is not a blank check for secrecy.
The public deserves to see what happened on September 2, unfiltered. Anything less invites suspicion and erodes trust in the very institutions charged with keeping us safe.
Blue Press Journal 
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