Trump describes Iran war as ‘small potatoes’, citing just 18 Americans killed
Democrats have responded with outrage after Donald Trump described the war with Iran as “small potatoes”.
The US president made a specific reference to the number of Americans who died in what he described as a “military conflict”.
Trump has described the war with Iran as “small potatoes”. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
Trump was asked by a reporter in the White House if he would describe the Iran conflict as a war.
"A lot of people don't call it a war. I call it a military conflict because it's small potatoes for us," Trump replied.
"It's not a big thing. We did Venezuela and we did this. In Venezuela we lost nobody, in this we lost 18 people."
Reporters immediately questioned Trump about his remarks.
"How long were we in Vietnam? How long were we in Vietnam?" Trump replied.
"We're in five months now. And you know what we did in five months? They're not going to have a nuclear weapon."
The war began on February 28, more than six months ago.
Democrats hit back on the president's comments immediately.
“What a horrific thing for our commander in chief to say about people who sacrificed their lives for our country,” Senator Elizabeth Warren said.
President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at Morristown Airport. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
Representative Jason Crow, himself a former Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, cited the hundreds of Americans wounded since the conflict began in his reply.
"As elites talk tough and bang the war drums from their gold-plated offices, it’s working class folks who have to pick up a rifle, jump in a tank, and do the fighting," Crow said.
"It pisses me off – and it should piss you off too."
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also weighed in.
“Small potatoes. That’s how Donald Trump feels about the war he started in Iran,” Schumer said.
"Tell that to the families of the 18 troops we’ve lost, the hundreds of wounded servicemembers, and the Americans suffering every single day from record high prices.
"There's nothing small about it."
Trump was asked about how he would describe the conflict with Iran after his vice president denied it was a war.
“I wouldn’t call it a war. Right now, there is no active shooting,“ JD Vance said.
"But when you ask, 'When will this end?' you're asking me a question like, 'When will the Iranians stop shooting at ships?
"You would have to ask the Iranians."
Ships anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran. Getty Images
Meanwhile, the New York Times has reported that US intelligence reports have found Iran growing in confidence in its capacity to strike targets in the Middle East.
It adds to fears Iran will be unwilling to make peace with the US and its allies unless its terms are very favourable.
And overnight, an Iranian general indicated the regime would be taking a more aggressive approach in the future.
"Wherever we perceive a threat, we will conduct preemptive operations," Brigadier-General Mohammad Akrami Nia told IRIB.
“Our military doctrine has shifted toward preemptive defence and deterrent operations.”
In the Oval Office, Trump said he was considering a strike on Iran's Pickaxe Mountain.
Pickaxe Mountain allegedly holds two deeply buried tunnel networks that are used to have nuclear complexes.
The site is heavily fortified and built to be resistant to air strikes.
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