Morning Joe compared Pete Hegseth’s new “fog of war” explanation for the September boat strike with what he said the very next morning, when he claimed he “watched it live” and “knew exactly who was in that boat.” The panel breaks down the contradictions. | Morning Joe

Congressional hearings into the reported double-tap strike are approaching and Pete Hegseth’s past comments are under renewed scrutiny. Morning Joe resurfaced footage of the defense secretary urging troops to dismiss rules of engagement and boasting about the strike at the center of the investigation. | Morning Joe

After the White House said the authority for the second strike came from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, @joescarborough explains why that clarification is “damning” and why it matters legally and politically. | Morning Joe

New reporting on a deadly strike mission off Venezuela has raised serious legal questions for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. @JoeScarborough, @mark_hertling and the Morning Joe panel break down the evidence, the alleged second strike on survivors, and why Hegseth’s public posture may be making his legal position even more precarious. | Morning Joe

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern over the report of the 2 September incident and have vowed congressional reviews of the strikes— but Rep. Bill Keating says there’s no reason to wait on one thing: releasing the video and any audio from the Sept. 2 incident. | Morning Joe