Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) spoke to reporters following a briefing for lawmakers on Capitol Hill by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Graham spoke just moments after Hegseth addressed reporters, telling them he “of course” would not be releasing the video of the second strike on survivors of an alleged drug smuggling boat.
“Why not just release this video…” pressed CNN’s Manu Raju.
Graham replied, “I think—I think it should be.”
Pushed by reporters more, Graham added, “I think the video should be given to everybody in Congress.”
Another reporter asked Graham if he “buys Hegseth’s explanation that the video includes ‘sensitive information.’”
“You know, the least of my concerns is this friggin’ video. Release it. Make your own decisions. This is lawful. I have every confidence that what they’re doing is no different than what Bush did. Nobody in the Congress accused the military leadership under President Bush 41 of being a war criminal for invading Panama without congressional authorization,” fumed Graham, who is both vehemently in favor of the drug boat strikes and is pushing for the ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
Minutes before Graham spoke, Hegseth said, “So we’re proud of what we’re doing, able to lay it out very directly to these senators and soon to the House. But it’s all classified; we can’t talk about it now. We’re also going to tomorrow allow the HASC and SASC to see the unedited video of September 2nd, alongside Admiral Bradley, who has done a fantastic job, has made all the right calls, and we’re glad he’ll be there to do it. But in keeping with long-standing Department of Defense policy, of course we’re not going to release a top-secret, full, unedited video of that to the general public. HASC and SASC, appropriate committees, will see it, but not the general public.”
Watch the clip above via Fox News.
