Sen Tom Cotton insists September boat strike survivors were valid targets: 'Not incapacitated'
NBC News’ Kristen Welker: “Is there any hard evidence that shows this particular boat was headed to the United States?”
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) December 7, 2025
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR): “That didn't come up in my briefing… There are very reliable multiple sources of intelligence that tell us that this boat had drugs… pic.twitter.com/F97mB7jm2A
WASHINGTON, DC: Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee Tom Cotton appeared on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ on Sunday, December 7. During his appearance, Cotton defended the Trump administration's initial September boat strike that left several dead.
Cotton argued that the survivors were "not incapacitated" and that it was “entirely appropriate” to strike the boat again to ensure that the cargo was destroyed.
Tom Cotton clears the air about The Washington Post story
Tom Cotton told host Kristen Welker that the controversy surrounding the boat strikes began about 10 days ago when The Washington Post reported that there were “helpless” survivors after the initial strike.
“That is simply not the case,” he claimed.
NBC News’ Kristen Welker: “[A Democrat saw] that video. He said, ‘It looks like two classically shipwrecked people.’ … Other lawmakers who saw the video said, ‘The two men appeared to raise their arms potentially to signal that they were trying to surrender.’”
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) December 7, 2025
Sen. Tom Cotton… pic.twitter.com/6l9mkJKf6I
The Senate Intelligence Committee’s chairman added that the survivors were not “floating in the ocean,” on a wooden plank, or in life jackets. He added that they were on the capsized vessel and hence “valid targets.”
Cotton further claimed that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s orders were not in violation of the Law of War.
Cotton added that he believed the publication owed Hegseth and Admiral Mitch Bradley an apology for the “slander.”
When asked whether Bradley had confirmed that all the people on the boat were military targets, Cotton said he didn’t “personally hear him” say that because the admiral had several briefings that Cotton was not a part of.
However, the senator was told by Mark Warner that the admiral had “high confidence” based on multiple sources of intelligence.
Tom Cotton backs Pete Hegseth using the Signal app
During his ‘Meet the Press’ appearance, the Senate Intelligence Committee’s chairman was asked about the Pentagon’s inspector general’s revelation that Hegseth had shared secret information about America in a Signal group chat.
In doing so, he had allegedly created a risk to operational security that could have potentially failed mission objectives.
Cotton said that he had “100%” confidence in Pete Hegseth and added that he had read the report, which exonerated Secretary Hegseth of any “criminal wrongdoing.”
He added that by the time information was shared on the Signal app, they were also communicating with foreign counterparts to let them know what had happened.
“I think this is a bit of a mountain out of a molehill,” he added.
When asked whether he would recommend them not to use the Signal app, Cotton said that he was confident that Hegseth was making the right decision to protect America and keep the administration officials and foreign counterparts informed.
