ABC News Undoes Act of Random Journalism, Revives War Crimes Hoax

Jorge Bonilla
December 4th, 2025 12:46 PM

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In an unexpected act of random journalism on ABC’s World News Tonight, Martha Raddatz reported a sourced set of facts that destroyed the “war crimes” narrative pushed by the elitist media over the last week. Then, in a quick reversal, Raddatz sought to rebuild the narrative by omitting critical facts from her equivalent report on Good Morning America.

Watch the initial reporting as aired on World News Tonight:

MARTHA RADDATZ: And tonight new information: according to a source familiar with the incident, the two survivors climbed back onto the boat after the initial strike. They were believed to be potentially in communication with others, and salvaging some of the drugs. Because of that, it was determined they were still in the fight and valid targets. A JAG officer was also giving legal advice. So again, David, that video will be key and Admiral Bradley will be on The Hill tomorrow behind closed doors.

This new reporting demolishes the entire premise of the “Double Tap” narrative, which suggested that the narcotraffickers were helplessly clinging to the wreckage of their vessel, and therefore protected from additional strikes. That underlying principle, hors d’ combat, fueled the entire war crimes narrative. But in one fell swoop, Raddatz reported that (a) the traffickers climbed back onto the boat, (b) attempted to salvage the drugs, and (c) called for help. Inasmuch as the drug ferrying is the hostile action and the vessel operators attempted to continue their mission, the facts reported by Raddatz appear to clearly indicate that hors d’ combat does not apply- therefore making a subsequent strike legal. That takes us to (d) this strike was ordered by Admiral Mitch Bradley with legal advice from a Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer. 

But there is a war crime narrative to push as part of an ongoing operation to undermine both President Trump and the military. This new reporting is simply too inconvenient, and so some of it must be excised and bolstered with narrative support. Watch as Raddatz runs back some of Wednesday’s reporting but with a critical element left out:

RADDATZ: And this morning, new details about that September 2nd operation that has some accusing the administration of war crimes. The suspected boat is seen here being hit by a U.S. air strike. Shortly afterwards, sources say two survivors were seen climbing back onto the boat. It's against the laws of war, to strike shipwrecked survivors.

JACK REED: This is not a complex legal theory. This is not a gray area. The manual addresses this exact situation with crystal clarity. Orders to fire upon the shipwreck are clearly illegal. 

RADDATZ: But the sources say they were potentially in communication with others in the area, and attempting to salvage some of the drugs that had been in the boat's cargo. Because other vessels were in the area, sources say, they were determined to be, quote: “still in the fight” and considered a valid target.

So what’s the walkback here? Raddatz revives hors d’combat legal peril. First, by bifurcating her sourced report. Second, she interjects the line about shipwrecked survivors. Raddatz then includes a quote from the senior Democrat in the Senate Armed Services Committee. Finally, she adds the rest of her reporting with one major omission: Raddatz does not mention that there was a JAG advising Admiral Bradley as the strikes went down.

This is a major walkback from the prior inconvenient reporting, with a clear intent of rebuilding a shattered war crimes narrative. But, as has been the case with so many narcovessels as of late, this one isn’t going to be able to be put back together.

Click “expand” to view the full transcripts of the aforementioned reports as aired on ABC’s World News Tonight on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025, and Good Morning America on Thursday, December 4th, 2025:

ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT

12/3/25

6:32 PM

DAVID MUIR: Good evening. We begin tonight here with breaking news, what ABC News has just learned tonight about that second deadly strike on that alleged drug boat from Venezuela. And President Trump tonight and what he’s now saying about releasing video of the second strike. It comes amid growing scrutiny surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. And on a separate front tonight, sources now telling ABC News the Pentagon inspector general has found Secretary Hegseth put U.S. military personnel and their mission at risk by discussing sensitive information in a group chat using a commercial app, the Signal messaging app, about another operation. Martha Raddatz leading us off tonight with late reporting here.

MARTHA RADDATZ: Tonight the controversy swirling around Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expanding. Sources tell ABC News the Pentagon's independent watchdog has found Hegseth endangered the lives of American troops by using the commercial messaging app Signal to share highly sensitive plans for military strikes on Yemen with administration colleagues, his wife who is not a government employee, and a reporter who was accidentally added to a group chat. At the time, Hegseth insisted he’d done nothing wrong.

PETE HEGSETH: Nobody was texting war plans.

RADDATZ: He blamed former employees. He blamed the media.

HEGSETH: They take sources from disgruntled former employees and then they try to slash and burn people. And ruin their reputations. Not going to work with me.

RADDATZ: But the Pentagon inspector general's new report has, according to sources, determined that if the information hegseth shared on Signal had fallen into enemy hands, American troops could have been in danger, and that it should not have been sent on the unsecure messaging app. According to sources, Hegseth refused to sit down with the inspector general. Instead, providing a statement saying he'd acted within his rights, because he has the power to classify and declassify information. Today, a Pentagon spokesman called the report “a total exoneration" and The White House said President Trump stands behind Secretary Hegseth. But the report is the latest blow to the embattled secretary, who has spent days trying to explain this September attack on a suspected drug boat off the coast of Venezuela. After this first strike, a second missile was fired, reportedly targeting two survivors. International law prohibits killing enemy combatants who no longer pose a threat. The day after the attack, Hegseth said he watched it happen.

HEGSETH: I watched it live. We knew exactly who was in that boat. We knew exactly what they were doing.

RADDATZ: Now he claims he only watched the first strike.

HEGSETH: I did not personally see survivors, but I stand -- because the thing was on fire. Exploded, fire, smoke, you can't see it. You have digital -- this is called the fog of war.

RADDATZ: The secretary insists he wasn't the one who ordered the second strike. Instead, pointing the finger at the mission's commander, Admiral Mitch Bradley. Tonight, ABC’s Selina Wang asking President Trump if he will release the video of the second strike.

SELINA WANG: Will you release video of that strike so that the American people can see for themselves what happened?

DONALD TRUMP: I don't know what they have. But whatever they have, we will certainly release. No problem.

RADDATZ: So we've seen the video of the first strike, but that second strike video that the president said would be released will be key. And tonight new information: according to a source familiar with the incident, the two survivors climbed back onto the boat after the initial strike. They were believed to be potentially in communication with others, and salvaging some of the drugs. Because of that, it was determined they were still in the fight and valid targets. A JAG officer was also giving legal advice. So again, David, that video will be key and Admiral Bradley will be on The Hill tomorrow behind closed doors.

MUIR: Behind closed doors. Martha Raddatz leading us off tonight. Martha, thank you.

ABC GOOD MORNING AMERICA

12/4/25

8:05 AM

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Now to the growing scrutiny for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and new details emerging about the second strike on an alleged drug boat that lawmakers and legal experts from both parties have called a potential war crime. The mission’s commander set to testify on Capitol Hill. We have Chief Global Affairs Anchor Martha Raddatz right here with the latest. Good morning, Martha.

MARTHA RADDATZ: Good morning, George. Admiral Mitch Bradley will be behind closed doors Secretary Hegseth said Bradley made the decision to launch a second strike on the boat, which Hegseth says is legal, but he is not the one who will ultimately decide that. 

This morning on Capitol Hill, Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley will be in the hot seat, as furor over the administration’s boat strikes in the Caribbean intensify.

RAND PAUL: I think it’s absolutely illegal. 

MARK WARNER: I want to hear the truth. One strike, two strikes, three strikes- how many people in the water?

RADDATZ: And this morning, new details about that September 2nd operation that has some accusing the administration of war crimes. The suspected boat is seen here being hit by a U.S. air strike. Shortly afterwards, sources say two survivors were seen climbing back onto the boat. It's against the laws of war, to strike shipwrecked survivors.

JACK REED: This is not a complex legal theory. This is not a gray area. The manual addresses this exact situation with crystal clarity. Orders to fire upon the shipwreck are clearly illegal. 

RADDATZ: But the sources say they were potentially in communication with others in the area, and attempting to salvage some of the drugs that had been in the boat's cargo. Because other vessels were in the area, sources say, they were determined to be, quote: “still in the fight” and considered a valid target. ABC’s Selina Wang asked President Trump if he will release video of the second strike.

DONALD TRUMP: I don't know what they have, but whatever they have we'll certainly release, no problem.

RADDATZ: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who oversees the operations, says he personally didn't see any survivors or the second strike, but calls the decision to strike twice Admiral Bradley’s call.

PETE HEGSETH: He sunk the boat, he sunk the boat and eliminated the threat. And it was the right call, we have his back.

RADDATZ: But this morning, Hegseth is facing backlash.

PAUL: I don't like the Secretary of Defense blaming it on a military commander, these commands came from him and I think the buck stops with him.

RADDATZ: And now, lawmakers will have have more questions for Hegseth after a new Pentagon watchdog report concluded he risked endangering U.S. troops when he relayed sensitive information about military strikes in Yemen  over the commercial messaging app Signal back in March. Sources tell ABC News the Defense Department’s inspector general says Hegseth shared information classified by U.S. Central Command on the app with colleagues and even his wife. On one of the Signal chats, a reporter was mistakenly added to a chain with some of the most powerful people in government. Hegseth facing pressure, said at that time he knew exactly what he was doing.

HEGSETH: Nobody's texting war plans. I know exactly what I’m doing, exactly what we’re directing.

RADDATZ: Sources say Hegseth refused to sit down for an interview as part of the investigation, instead telling the IG, in a statement, that he has the power to classify and declassify information, and that the chat on Signal would not put troops at risk, if exposed- an assertion the IG rejects.

RADDATZ: Hegseth says the report has exonerated him by the finding that he didn't share classified information, but again, the investigation also came to a conclusion Hegseth has long denied, that the chat details could have endangered the lives of the American military pilots, George.

STEPHANOPOULOS: And, of course, the way they come up with the idea that he didn't put forward classified information, is that he just declassified it himself. Meanwhile, we’re also learning that the admiral in charge of the Southern Command where these operations are taking place was forced out?

RADDATZ: He was forced to retire. He was told to retire. This is Admiral Alvin Holsey, and the retirement was announced in October. But we are told that it was one of those things where- leave- he had questions about the legality of the strikes in Venezuela, in the Caribbean and he is now on his way out. George.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Martha Raddatz, thanks.

MICHAEL STRAHAN: Those are questions people still have. All right. Thank you so much, Martha.

 

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