💥 SHOCKING ONSCREEN REVERSAL: TRUMP & HEGSETH PANIC AS NAVY COMMANDER LASHES OUT — A TOP ADMIRAL’S BOMBSHELL DEMAND FOR HIDDEN VIDEOS IGNITES A FULL-BLOWN POLITICAL FIRESTORM ⚡

WASHINGTON — A retired Navy admiral and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander is calling for a comprehensive, transparent investigation into a deadly U.S. military boat strike off the coast of Venezuela — an incident that has drawn renewed scrutiny of Pentagon oversight, rules of engagement, and the conduct of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The criticism, delivered in a televised appearance by Adm. James Stavridis, adds a prominent military voice to a growing chorus of lawmakers, legal experts, and human rights organizations questioning whether the strike violated international law. The episode, which resulted in the deaths of two unarmed men whose vessel was reportedly capsized before the strike occurred, has become a flash point in a broader debate about military accountability during President Donald J. Trump’s second term.

“The laws of war, intelligence value, and the basic military standards still matter,” Admiral Stavridis said. “We need transparency and a real investigation.”

His remarks come as the Pentagon faces pressure to release a second video of the incident, which officials have confirmed exists but have not published. Only a short infrared clip, showing two men clinging to an overturned hull before being struck by U.S. fire, has been made public. Pentagon officials have said additional materials are part of an internal review.

During his interview, Admiral Stavridis urged the Defense Department to release full video and audio records, including cockpit transcripts, radio calls, and legal guidance provided during the mission. “I want to hear the audio,” he said. “I’d like to see the Judge Advocate General who was in the room at the time speak under oath about what advice was given.”

Drawing on his experience commanding U.S. Southern Command — the unit responsible for counter-narcotics operations in the region — Stavridis suggested that capturing the two men could have yielded intelligence valuable for mapping smuggling routes and potentially tracing links back to senior Venezuelan officials.

“A good way to start dismantling these networks is to interrogate suspects, gather information, and work your way up the chain,” he said. “If we did something wrong, we should admit it and apply the lessons.”

Questions about the legality of the strike intensified after reporting by multiple outlets indicated that the two men may have been waving toward the aircraft — an action that, under international law, could constitute an attempted surrender. The Defense Department’s own manual on the law of war identifies shipwrecked individuals as protected persons who cannot be targeted unless they pose an imminent threat.

Analysts have noted that the absence of visible weapons or communications equipment in the publicly released footage complicates the Pentagon’s justification that the men were engaged in hostile activity.

Stavridis emphasized that reciprocity — the expectation that U.S. troops would be granted the chance to surrender if captured — is a longstanding principle in American military culture. “If those were my Navy SEALs floating in the water, I would want them afforded the opportunity to surrender,” he said.

The incident has also revived questions about the internal safeguards that govern the use of force. Critics say the Pentagon’s institutional guardrails — including the inspector general’s office and senior legal officers — have been weakened in recent years by leadership changes, vacancies, and what they describe as political pressure.

Civilian oversight advocates point to the firing of multiple inspectors general during the Trump administration, along with the reassignment or resignation of senior military lawyers, as evidence of a system less capable of checking poor decision-making in real time.

The Defense Department has defended its processes, saying in a statement that all operations “follow established legal and operational protocols” and that an inquiry is underway.

Still, the call for transparency from a figure of Stavridis’s stature has raised expectations that the Pentagon will ultimately have to release more material. The former admiral’s tenure leading NATO operations — including the 2011 Libya campaign, during which he consulted military lawyers before every airstrike — has given added weight to his warnings about the consequences of inadequate oversight.

“You want to ensure you don’t end up in a cell in The Hague,” he said, only half in jest.

The boat strike has become the latest in a series of controversies involving Secretary Hegseth, who has faced allegations of poor judgment and mismanagement in previous high-profile operations. Critics in Congress have argued that the Pentagon’s response reflects broader problems within the department’s chain of command.

Whether the incident marks a turning point in the ongoing debate over military transparency remains unclear. But for now, lawmakers from both parties say they expect the Pentagon to provide more information — including video, transcripts, and legal assessments — before they reach conclusions.

“Discovery must happen,” Admiral Stavridis said. “Then we can make judgments without fear or favor.”