Trump official's 'tone deaf' response to US war dead in Iran blows up in his face
Donald Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations stepped in it on Sunday morning with a glib and unsympathetic response to news that three US service members have died while taking part in the ongoing attack on Iran known as "Operation Epic Fury."
Former Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), who was first tabbed by Trump to be his national security adviser, only to be booted from the job and shuffled off to the UN after he and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth embroiled the entire Trump administration in the Signalgate scandal, used his X account to pass along a post about the three war dead.
U.S Central Command posted, “TAMPA, Fla. – As of 9:30 am ET, March 1, three U.S. service members have been killed in action, and five are seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury. Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions — and are in the process of being returned to duty. Major combat operations continue, and our response effort is ongoing,” and then singled out “respect for the families.”
In his repost, the Trump appointee simply added, “Freedom is never free,” followed by an American flag emoji.
That set off a wave of outrage, with Missouri Democratic House of Representatives candidate Fred Wellman writing, “Three service members died and you act like it was a check. You are just disgusting. None of you give a damn about our military members.”
“This is disgusting. Vile. Tone deaf. What is wrong with you?” asked Nikkib.
Former Republican Paige suggested, “I’m sure their families are not comforted by these words.”
“Freedom for who?” America First conservative David Giglio asked.
Podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen raged, “Three Americans dead and Trump’s UN Ambassador waves it off with some bulls—t jingoism. From the people who wailed about Benghazi for a decade. Absolute soulless ghouls.”
US military veteran Heather Beaven alluded to Waltz’s last major misstep and asked, “Did you come up with that all by yourself or was it a screen grab off Signal?”