A government watchdog group is turning up the heat on federal officials, demanding a full investigation into whether the U.S. Navy illegally deleted photos and videos of a deadly military boat strike that happened late last year.
American Oversight, a group that monitors government actions, sent a formal follow-up letter today to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The group says new information from the Department of the Navy proves the matter is far from settled, despite earlier government hesitation to investigate it.
The issue stems from a military air strike in international waters on October 17, 2025. Following the strike, two survivors were taken into U.S. custody. Reports later surfaced alleging that crew members aboard the USS Iwo Jima were ordered to wipe away all photo and video evidence of those survivors.
Under the Federal Records Act, government agencies are legally required to save documents, photos, and videos that show what the military and government are doing. Destroying that evidence is illegal.
READ: High Court Slams Door On Florida Death Row Inmate’s Appeal
Back in December 2025, American Oversight first asked NARA and the military to look into the missing files. However, NARA refused to open an official investigation in March 2026. At the time, NARA officials claimed the reports came from a single, unnamed source and lacked enough supporting evidence. But NARA left the door open, saying they would reconsider if new facts came to light.
That new information arrived last week in a response from the Department of the Navy. In its letter to the watchdog group, the Navy stated it could not comment on the matter due to a “current ongoing investigation.”
American Oversight argues that the Navy’s own words prove there is an active investigation happening behind the scenes, meaning NARA must now step in.
“Federal agencies cannot simply make potentially damning records disappear and expect the public to accept silence in return,” said Chioma Chukwu, Executive Director of American Oversight. “After initially declining to investigate these allegations, NARA now appears to have additional information from the Navy itself concerning an ongoing investigation tied to a deadly military operation and the detention of survivors — which they acknowledged in response to our inquiry into the possible deletion of related records. The public deserves to know whether records were destroyed, who ordered it, and whether the government is meeting its legal obligations to preserve evidence of actions carried out in the public’s name.”
READ: Russia Vows To Back Cuba With ‘Active Support’ As Trump Threatens Take-Over
This battle over the missing files comes at a time when the military is facing heavy scrutiny for its actions. The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General recently announced it is evaluating the exact framework and rules the military used to conduct these specific strikes.
In its latest letter, American Oversight is calling on NARA to find out if the records were illegally deleted, see if the missing files can be recovered, and make sure all evidence from the October 2025 strike is safely preserved.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
