Representative Ted Lieu criticized Ambassador Mike Waltz for failing to know the correct number of wounded U.S. troops during the Iran conflict.
Representative Ted Lieu criticized U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Wednesday. Lieu accused Waltz of being "callous" regarding the safety of American troops after the ambassador misstated the number of wounded service members in the conflict with Iran. While Waltz initially estimated the number of wounded to be over 100, Lieu corrected him with the actual figure of 482. The exchange occurred as the U.S. military death toll in the conflict reached 18 following recent attacks in Jordan and Iraq. During the hearing, Representative Michael McCaul urged the administration to unleash the full power of the military to neutralize Iran's nuclear path. Waltz defended the current strategy, noting that Iran is currently in its weakest position due to a combination of military pressure and diplomatic isolation. Meanwhile, President Trump recently criticized Jordan's defense system, suggesting that Iranian forces managed to slip through its territory because American personnel were not in charge.