President Donald Trump is defending Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick after the administration official falsely claimed no Americans have died in the war with Iran, as the conflict stretches into its seventh month and Iran launches new attacks against U.S. assets in the Middle East.
Sirens sounded Thursday in Kuwait, while air defenses in the United Arab Emirates intercepted missile and drone attacks that Iran said were aimed at U.S. assets.
Trump continued to predict the war would end soon.
“They’re not doing well at all, and so it’s just a question of time,” Trump said of Iran.
The president also weighed in on comments Lutnick made during a CNBC appearance Wednesday. While discussing the growing national debt, Lutnick touted the administration’s strategy against Iran.
“I think the way the president is playing Iran, right? There’s not — there haven’t been American deaths,” Lutnick said, describing the strategy as “an economic choke out.”
Eighteen U.S. service members have been killed during the six-month military campaign against Iran.
Lutnick said Thursday that he misspoke and had been referring to the U.S. operation in Venezuela in January. Trump offered the same explanation on social media, saying Lutnick had Venezuela on his mind.
The controversy comes as U.S. military leaders warn that resources are being stretched by lengthy deployments.
Three officials said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is extending some troop deployments in the Middle East into next year. Sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln docked in Thailand Wednesday after spending 286 days at sea.
The strain is also fueling criticism of Hegseth on Capitol Hill. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis called the defense secretary “inept” and urged Trump to “find a new leader at the Pentagon.”
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned this week amid tensions with Hegseth, according to sources.
READ MORE:
_______________
Stay up to date with our social media:
13 WHAM on Facebook:
13 WHAM on Twitter:
13WHAM on Instagram:
13WHAM on TikTok:
13 WHAM Daily Local News Digest:
For more information, visit
Have a news tip? Send it directly to us:
Email us: news@13wham.com
Call the Newsroom: (585) 334-8700
WHAM is a NY based station and a ABC Television affiliate owned and operated by Deerfield Media, Inc and receives certain services from an affiliation of Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. is one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country today.
#13WHAM #News #Rochester #NewYork
source
I’d like to know how many more have died. We are not being told anything close to the truth. During the Viet Nam war the death toll was on the news every night along with pretty graphic video. We were there with our troops.
Quiz Lutnick on how many little girls the United States killed at Minab elementary school.
A LIAR CANNOT KEEP THEIR STORY STRAIGHT. 👿
Warmonger coward draft dodger Bone Spurs lies again.
TRUMP THE CONVICTED FELON.
34 CONVICTED FELONIES.
TRUMP THE PDF.
EPSTEIN FILES.
And that right there my friends is the real truth , when they screw up they double down and never admit that they were wrong. They aren't wrong you just heard the wrong thing.
That dudes a pdf
The truth is easier. And we all know the truth. Howard
Why not take out all bridges & power?
Denied combat benefits to surviving dependents. They didn’t report that fact.
Nutlick,.meant no US Military deaths matter to him.
The names buttlick, howard buttlick. 😂😂
The number of US dead is almost certainly in the hundreds. You do not destroy 20+ bases with ballistic missiles and have only 18 deaths. They have been stuck on 18 for months now. Wake up people. The truth may come out some day. When dealing with Trump, you can never get the truth.
Someone should duct tape Lutnick to a chair and find out what he knows regarding the 9/11 “attacks”!
Lutnick looks like the worst car salesman
What a vile man. Took his kids on vacation with Epstein.
yet JD Vance says it's not a war.
😂😂😂
If Lutnick can’t keep his stories straight, he should just shut up! We don’t need another liar talking 🐂💩
fcker so much deep in lies …hehehe just saying that even in official obvious he carries his idiocy … oh my
So, who are they trying to hoodwink? 😂😂😂
In defending Lutnick trump says.
"Well, he lied. The lying is a true achievement of this administration."
Doesn't know?…. More like they don't care 🤷🏼♂️
Thom Tillis has been a critic since the beginning of
Biden said the same about his presidency. He forgot all about the soldiers that died during his presidency.
HOW CORRUPT THE MEDIA IS
He got caught. Disgusting.
You get a pardon,she gets a pardon,HE gets a pardon, PARDON PARTY!!! 🎉 8
Donald Trump is a menace to America, MAGA and America-First voters. His tattered legacy belongs on the ash heap.
How did all these trump morons become millionaires.But all the money in the world can't change the fact you're an a-hole.♥️🇺🇸🦅✌️💙
He misspoke? Just like when he said he didn't know Epstein when no one asked?
My god this Adminstration is so incompetent.
Lutnick would lies and lies for them. He is insane
Is anyone surprised that one of the Incompetent morons Dementia Donny has surrounded himself with doesn't know the difference between Venezuela and Iran?
86 – 47 Foxtrot Delta Tango
Nutlick, did you mis-speak as well when you said data centers don't need any water? No. It's called an overt lie. Own it.