US Congress May Block Hegseth’s Travel Funds Until Unedited Boat Strike Videos Are Released

US congress is considering withholding a portion of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel funding unless he provides full, unaltered video footage of recent American military strikes on boats in the eastern Pacific and southern Caribbean. The demand underscores growing fears over operations carried out without proper legislative oversight and the possible legal ramifications linked to these strikes.

Seeking transparency regarding President donald trump‘s military campaign targeting Venezuela, congressional leaders warned that they may block up to 25% of Hegseth’s travel budget. Lawmakers are specifically requesting raw video evidence of strikes carried out against maritime vessels as part of the administration’s intensified operations in waters surrounding the South American nation.

The provision was embedded in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)-a comprehensive annual defense policy bill revealed Sunday night and expected to be enacted by the end of the year. The Department of Defense did not immediately issue a response regarding this requirement.

For several weeks, lawmakers from both parties-including Republicans aligned with Trump-have raised questions about the administration’s broader strategy against Venezuela. Since early September, the US military has conducted at least 22 strikes on ships in the southern Caribbean and Pacific after deploying increased naval power near Venezuela. The Trump administration claims the campaign is intended to dismantle “narcoterrorist” networks and curb illegal drug trafficking into the United States.

These strikes have killed 87 individuals, triggering intense scrutiny and accusations that the president is, in effect, executing an extended military operation without explicit congressional authorization. Under the US Constitution, only Congress-not the president-has the authority to declare war, raising constitutional concerns about the ongoing military actions.

Legal experts warn that carrying out dozens of lethal strikes without proving imminent threat may violate international law. Worries escalated sharply after reports surfaced that US forces repeatedly fired on the first vessel targeted on September 2, resulting in the death of multiple survivors who were not rescued but allegedly shot while in distress.

Hegseth defended the military’s actions in statements delivered on Saturday. He noted that he was still reviewing the full footage of the incident and had not yet made a decision on whether to release it publicly.

Key Components of the NDAA Clause Targeting Hegseth’s Travel Budget

Last week, senior officials from the Trump administration delivered classified briefings to lawmakers regarding the September 2 strikes. While several Republicans defended the actions as legally justified, leading Democrats expressed deep concern over the reported killing of survivors who posed no evident threat.

The repeated briefings highlighted the widening political divide over the military campaign, with critics demanding transparency and insisting that lethal operations must adhere strictly to US and international legal frameworks.

As Congress increases pressure on the Pentagon, the dispute signals a growing struggle over accountability, presidential war powers, and the limits of unilateral military action. The final decision on whether Hegseth will retain his full travel budget now hinges on the Pentagon’s willingness to release the unedited strike footage and comply fully with congressional reporting requirements.