First American Troops Killed in ‘Peace President’s’ War After Trump Warned Casualties Were Likely
Three American service members have been killed and five others seriously wounded in President Donald Trump’s rapidly escalating war with Iran — marking the first confirmed U.S. combat deaths since the surprise strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader.
The Pentagon confirmed Sunday that three troops were killed during what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dubbed “Operation Epic Fury.” Several additional service members suffered shrapnel injuries and concussions but are expected to return to duty.
“The situation is fluid,” the Pentagon said in a statement, adding that the identities of the fallen would not be released until families are notified.
The casualties come after Trump acknowledged in an early-morning video address that American deaths were likely. “The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war,” he said.
Despite the mounting toll, Trump has not delivered a formal address to the nation beyond posts on Truth Social. On Saturday night, hours after launching the strikes, he attended a high-dollar fundraiser at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the air campaign as “the most lethal, most complex, and most-precision aerial operation in history,” vowing that the United States “will finish” the conflict. “If you kill or threaten Americans anywhere in the world — as Iran has — then we will hunt you down,” he wrote.
Other administration officials acknowledged the cost. U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz posted, “Freedom is never free,” alongside an American flag.
The broader conflict has already spread across the region. Israeli officials reported at least eight people killed and dozens injured in retaliatory missile strikes. The United Arab Emirates said three civilians were killed and 58 wounded. Kuwait reported one fatality and more than 30 injuries following Iranian attacks.
The escalating violence has drawn criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. Former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a close Trump ally, wrote that the deaths were “absolutely unnecessary and unacceptable,” accusing the administration of abandoning promises to avoid foreign wars.
Trump campaigned on ending overseas conflicts and avoiding new military entanglements. Now, with American troops dead and regional fighting intensifying, the human cost of the president’s decision is becoming starkly clear.
