'Not a Big Thing': Trump Calls U.S. Servicemen Killed in Iran War 'Small Potatoes' in Latest Insult to Troops

President Donald Trump has sparked outrage after dismissing the deaths of 18 U.S. service members in the ongoing Iran conflict as "small potatoes for us," while defending Vice President JD Vance's claim that the six-month war is not actually a "war."

WASHINGTON – A graphic circulating on social media this week captures President Donald Trump's latest controversial remarks about U.S. troops: "'NOT A BIG THING': TRUMP CALLS U.S. SERVICEMEN KILLED IN IRAN WAR 'SMALL POTATOES' IN LATEST INSULT TO TROOPS." The comments, made during an Oval Office exchange on September 4, 2026, have drawn fierce condemnation from both sides of the aisle .

Asked to respond to Vice President JD Vance's assertion a day earlier that the Iran conflict is not a "war," Trump told reporters: "A lot of people don't call it a war. I call it a military conflict because it's small potatoes for us. It's not a big thing" .

The war, which began on February 28, 2026, has cost U.S. taxpayers more than **$37.5 billion** and has left **18 U.S. service members dead** and at least **767 wounded** . The conflict has also sent gas prices soaring, with the national average reaching $4.15 per gallon .

Comparing Casualties: A Controversial Defense

When pressed by ABC News' Rachel Scott on describing the conflict as "small potatoes" while 18 service members have been killed, Trump doubled down by comparing the Iran war to other U.S. conflicts .

"We did Venezuela and we did this. In Venezuela, we lost nobody," Trump said, referring to the January 2026 U.S. military operation to seize former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. "And this, we lost 18 people. And, in Vietnam we lost 100,000 people. And in other conflicts, we lost tens of thousands of people" .

A total of 58,220 members of the U.S. armed forces died during the Vietnam War, according to the U.S. National Archives .

Trump, who himself received five military draft deferments during the Vietnam War, added that he would call the conflict with Iran "intermittent strikes" and agreed with Vance that it is not a war .

"We're not fighting right now. There's no fighting," Trump said, despite Iran having fired at U.S. Gulf ally Kuwait just a day earlier in retaliation for U.S. strikes .

Vance's 'Not a War' Claim

Vance had sparked the controversy a day earlier during a White House press briefing when he rejected the word "war" to describe the conflict .

"I wouldn't call it a war. Right now, there is no active shooting," Vance said, arguing that major combat operations only lasted six weeks .

His comments came even as the U.S. and Iran traded fire in recent days, with U.S. airstrikes targeting Iranian mine-laying capabilities near the Strait of Hormuz on September 1 — the first exchange of fire in weeks .

Bipartisan Outrage

Trump's remarks have drawn sharp criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's press team blasted Trump as a "disgusting Little Man" and urged him to "treat our brave American soldiers with some respect" .

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said "bragging" about "only" 18 service members "being killed in a reckless and illegal war" is "beneath contempt and a new low even for the likes of Donald Trump" .

Even former Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who has repeatedly criticized Trump for launching the war, accused the president of "bragging about killing 18 US soldiers." "Thats how I read this stupid posts," she wrote on X, concluding with internet slang for "go fuck yourself" .

The Conflict That Won't End

The war with Iran began with U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on February 28, 2026, aimed at preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon . Iran retaliated by shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, leading to over six months of violence, diplomacy and economic pressure .

Trump has used various phrases to avoid calling the conflict a war, previously describing it as a "little skirmish," a "little detour," and a "little excursion" . Experts suggest such terminology is likely strategic, as the administration has faced pushback for not seeking congressional approval before launching military action .

In June, both chambers of Congress passed a war powers resolution calling on Trump to either stop his military campaign against Iran or seek congressional authorization — a largely symbolic move that signaled growing bipartisan opposition .

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released earlier this week found that nearly six in 10 U.S. adults disapprove of the military strikes on Iran .

The Bottom Line

The viral image captures a moment that critics are calling a new low for a president who has repeatedly made disparaging comments about U.S. service members. From canceling a visit to a cemetery of war dead and calling fallen soldiers "suckers" and "losers" to now dismissing 18 war deaths as "small potatoes," Trump's relationship with the military remains as contentious as ever .

As the conflict enters its seventh month with no end in sight and the midterm elections approaching, Trump's efforts to minimize the war's severity may prove politically costly. But for the families of the 18 fallen service members, the president's words are a painful reminder that their loved ones' sacrifice has been reduced to a political talking point.

One thing is certain: the Iran war — whether called a "war," a "military conflict," or "small potatoes" — is far from over.