US’ Lutnick apologises for saying no Americans have died in Iran war
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US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick acknowledged on X that 18 service members have been killed in the US-Israel war on Iran, and said he was thinking of the US’ operation in Venezuela when he made the statement.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick apologised for wrongly stating no Americans died in the Iran war, acknowledging 18 military deaths.
- Lutnick said he confused the Iran conflict with a Venezuelan operation where no US casualties occurred.
- Former President Trump defended Lutnick, emphasising the 18 deaths in Iran and supporting his apology.
AI generated
WASHINGTON - US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick apologised on Sept 3 for stating that no Americans had died in the Iran war, acknowledging that 18 service members have been killed and he was thinking about Venezuela when he made the mistaken statement.
“I misspoke. Eighteen members of our military have died, and to those families my heart breaks and I am so very sorry for their loss. I was thinking about the Venezuelan military operation where no service members died,” Lutnick said, in a post on X.
Lutnick made the comments during an interview with CNBC on Sept 2 in which Venezuela did not come up.
“I think the way the president is playing Iran... There haven’t been American deaths. It’s really just an economic choke-out, which the administration is now executing more broadly, and I think it’ll be very effective,” Lutnick told CNBC.
Moments before Lutnick’s apology, Trump defended the commerce secretary on Truth Social.
“Sec. Lutnick had Venezuela on his mind when he said nobody was killed. 18 people were killed in Iran!” Trump wrote.
To date, the US has reported 18 military personnel killed and more than 750 wounded. REUTERS
