House Speaker Mike Johnson said the military’s decision to attack an alleged drug-smuggling vessel for a second time to kill survivors of an initial strike was “entirely appropriate” and followed Defense Department rules. Following a classified briefing with military officials on Thursday, Johnson told reporters that the military strike in September has been “overly politicized.” Congressional Democrats have called for the full video of the strike to be released to the public, to help determine whether war crimes were committed when incapacitated combatants were killed. And Senate leaders have said they still have significant questions about the operation, and will continue to push for more information from military leaders in coming days. But House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) has said he does not feel like further investigation is warranted. Political distraction: Johnson said the political firestorm distracts from the Trump administration’s goal of stopping drugs from being transported to the United States. “This is a straightforward case,” he said. “Narco terrorists were caught in the process of smuggling deadly drugs and throughout the United States. The individuals on that vessel were not helpless castaways. They were drug runners on a capsized drug boat and by all indications, attempting to recover it so they could continue pushing drugs to kill Americans.” Closely held: So far, only a select few House and Senate leaders have viewed the video during classified briefings. Most Republicans have insisted the video shows proper military actions and response. Several Democrats have called the video “disturbing” and problematic. Defense Department officials have confirmed that at least two individuals believed to be smuggling drugs survived an initial military strike in the Caribbean Sea on Sept. 2. Adm. Mitch Bradley, head of U.S. Special Operations Command, ordered a second strike to kill the survivors. Johnson said after viewing the video Thursday that another vessel was nearby, and that the strike survivors were waving their arms to signal for help recovering their illegal wares. Other lawmakers have interpreted the actions as signaling for help. “When the secondary strikes were made, it followed the law,” Johnson said. “It followed protocol. It followed our previous missions like this, and they had to complete that mission.” Johnson also signaled full support for the president’s use of the military in drug interdiction missions. “Every one of these boats that is capsized saves tens of thousands of American lives,” he said. Lead Art: Speaker Mike Johnson said the political firestorm distracts from the administration’s goal of stopping drugs from being transported to the U.S. | Francis Chung/POLITICO

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