‘Small potatoes’: Trump downplays US war with Iran

President Donald Trump has called the seven-month US conflict with Iran “small potatoes,” even as the fighting has killed 18 US service members and pushed global energy prices higher.

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Small potatoes

Speaking at an Oval Office signing event on Friday, Trump said the conflict was “not a big thing.” He compared the strikes on Iran with the January 3 operation to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, saying, “We did Venezuela, and we did this. In Venezuela, we lost nobody. In this, we lost 18 people.”

Trump said there was “a lot of truth” in Vice President JD Vance’s description of the conflict. At a White House briefing a day earlier, Vance said, “I wouldn’t call it a war. Right now, there is no active shooting,” while acknowledging that fighting had flared in some places. Trump called the campaign a “military conflict” and said, “We do intermittent strikes.”

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It’s not a big thing

He also said, “We’re not fighting right now. There’s no fighting. We’re taking out a lot of oil. We control the Hormuz Strait. We control it very strongly.” Since the conflict began on February 28, Trump has referred to it as a “little skirmish,” a “little detour” and a short “excursion,” rather than a war.

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I wouldn’t call it a war. Right now, there is no active shooting

Experts cited in the article say the language may be strategic. The administration has faced criticism for launching strikes without congressional approval. In June, both chambers passed a largely symbolic war powers resolution urging Trump either to halt the campaign or seek authorization. A Reuters-Ipsos poll cited by the article found that nearly six in 10 US adults disapproved of the military strikes.

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We’re not fighting right now. There’s no fighting. We’re taking out a lot of oil. We control the Hormuz Strait. We control it very strongly