President Donald Trump has said his commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, erroneously stated that no Americans had been killed in the war with Iran, blaming the mistake on Lutnick's focus on a previous US operation in Venezuela.
Key facts
- Trump claimed Lutnick had a Venezuela operation on his mind while discussing the Iran war on CNBC.
- Lutnick had stated no Americans were killed in the war with Iran.
- The Pentagon's count is 18 US service members dead in the US-Israel war on Iran.
- The claim sparked a swift backlash as Trump struggles to end the six-month conflict.
- The remarks were reported by the Guardian.
President Donald Trump has claimed that his commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, erroneously stated that no Americans had been killed in the war with Iran because he was thinking about a previous US operation in Venezuela, according to the Guardian.
Lutnick’s assertion that no Americans had died directly contradicts the Pentagon’s count of 18 US service members killed in the US-Israel war on Iran, the Guardian reported.
Trump said Lutnick had the Venezuela operation on his mind when he was discussing the Iran war during an appearance on CNBC, offering that as an explanation for the incorrect statement.
The claim sparked a swift backlash, according to the Guardian, coming as Trump struggles to bring the conflict to an end after six months of fighting.
Why it matters
A senior US official's incorrect statement about American casualties in an active war raises questions about the administration's messaging during an ongoing conflict. With the Pentagon counting 18 US service members dead, accurate public accounting of the war's toll matters to families, service members and voters.
Frequently asked questions
How many US service members have died in the Iran war?
According to the Pentagon's count cited by the Guardian, 18 US service members have died in the US-Israel war on Iran.
What did Howard Lutnick say?
Lutnick stated that no Americans had been killed in the war with Iran, a claim at odds with the Pentagon's figures, according to the Guardian.
How did Trump explain the error?
Trump claimed Lutnick made the erroneous statement because he was thinking about a previous US operation in Venezuela while discussing the Iran war on CNBC, the Guardian reported.