White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that Special Operations Command Commander Adm. Frank Bradley was responsible for ordering a controversial second strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat earlier this year.

The strike, which took place in September, came after the first missile strike left two survivors holding onto the wreckage. The Trump administration claimed the drug boats are trying to smuggle illicit drugs such as fentanyl into the United States.

Leavitt confirmed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized Bradley, who acted within his authority, to conduct the strike, which was protected under the Law of Armed Conflict after bipartisan lawmakers raised concern that the strike could constitute a war crime.

"Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated,” she said. “This administration has designated these narcoterrorists as foreign terrorist organizations. The president has the right to take them out if they are threatening the United States of America, if they are bringing illegal narcotics that are killing our citizens at a record rate, which is what they are doing.” 

The comment also comes as President Donald Trump is expected to meet with his national security team later Monday, where they are expected to discuss Venezuela.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.