MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
Lawmakers are still asking questions about a boat strike in the Caribbean that killed two survivors of an initial strike. The Trump administration says the boat was transporting narcotics. That's brought Admiral Frank Mitchell Bradley - the man who oversaw the strikes - into the spotlight. But who is he? NPR's Saige Miller tells us what she's learned.
SAIGE MILLER, BYLINE: Since he started his military career in 1992, Bradley has mostly remained outside the public view. That all changed within the last week.
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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Admiral Bradley.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: Admiral Mitch Bradley.
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MILLER: That's because the White House says Bradley approved a controversial second strike that killed survivors of an initial attack on board an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. While Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he wasn't in the room during the second strike, he says he thinks Bradley made the correct decision.
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PETE HEGSETH: He sunk the boat and eliminated the threat. And it was the right call. We have his back.
MILLER: Here's what we know about Bradley. He currently oversees the United States Special Operations Command - or SOCOM. According to his official biography, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a degree in physics. After that, Bradley started his career as a Navy SEAL. He was among the first to deploy into Afghanistan following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He's married and the father of four children. During his Senate nomination hearing to lead SOCOM earlier this year, Bradley spoke about his roots.
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FRANK MITCHELL BRADLEY: So I come from a small ranching community in southwest Texas, where I learned the foundations of meritocracy at an early age. I'm the son of a World War II veteran Army Air Corps master sergeant who worked on P-38s from Operation Torch in North Africa to the final assault on Berlin.
MILLER: After the war, Bradley's father served as a core official in their Texas community.
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BRADLEY: I learned a deep appreciation for our democracy and the judicial system watching him dispense judgment in our community. His example of service and the allure of adventure are what drew me to the United States Naval Academy and the SEAL community.
MILLER: Speaking at the nomination hearing in July, Bradley also made a promise.
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BRADLEY: I will provide the secretary of defense and the president candid and clear military advice. And I will remain fully transparent with this committee, ensuring that you have the information necessary to continue your critical constitutional oversight of our national defense.
MILLER: And as congressional leaders probe the Pentagon and Bradley's involvement in the strikes, their hope is he maintains that promise of transparency.
Saige Miller, NPR News.
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