Donald Trump highlighted the American death toll in the ongoing Iran War and appeared to brag about the figure being much lower compared to previous conflicts.
The US president took to Truth Social to list the number of American soldiers who died while serving in the Vietnam, Korean, Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He wrote: "Vietnam War: 19 years, 58,220 DEAD. Korean War: 3 years, 36,574 DEAD. Iraq War: 9 years, 4,600 DEAD. Afghanistan War: 20 years, 2,000 DEAD."
Labelling the Iran war as "Iran Military Conflict," he then added: "18 DEAD." The post also included what Trump referred to as the "Venezuela War," which he said lasted one day, with "0 DEAD."
Condemnation from politicians
The statement came days after Iran struck US bases in Jordan and Iraq, killing four American service members. In addition to the 18 Americans killed, roughly 500 more have been injured, the Pentagon has said.
More than 3,400 people have been killed in Iran since the war began on February 28 with a joint US-Israeli attack on Tehran. This figure includes 1,568 civilians and at least 236 children, Reuters reported, citing the US-based human rights group HRANA. The outlet did not independently verify those figures.
A number of politicians have since reacted to Trump's post, with some accusing him of boasting about the 18 deaths and downplaying the cost of the conflict.
"Trump is bragging about killing 18 US soldiers," former Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said in a post on X. "Thats how I read this stupid posts. The 'peace president' went to war and is killing and wounding our troops."
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, added: "Donald Trump is a disgusting Little Man. Treat our brave American soldiers with some respect."
"I take such great exception to Donald Trump's Truth Social post where he seems to imply that it's only 18 - it's only 18 service members. Why should we be concerned about it?" Rep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat, told CNN. "Well you know what, it matters a lot to their families, to their brothers and sisters, their kids. And it's exactly that mentality, frankly, that shows why he is unfit to serve in this role."
Trump said he planned to travel to the Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday to attend the dignified transfer of the four soldiers killed in the recent Iranian attacks in the Middle East.
"We feel very badly, but you know, those great people, those great patriots were out there fighting so that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," he told reporters on Sunday. The president added that the US was attacking Iran in "honor" of the dead troops.
