President Donald Trump downplayed the severity of the Iran war when pressed by reporters in the Oval Office during an executive order signing ceremony on Friday.
"The Vice President said yesterday that he would not describe the conflict with Iran as a war…If this is not a war, what exactly is it?" asked ABC's Rachel Scott. Trump replied, "I call it a military conflict because it's small potatoes for us. It's not a big thing."
When Trump was reminded that 18 people have died and are facing "record-long deployments," Trump shot back, "Why is it record long? How long were we in Vietnam? We're in 5 months now."
The president's flippant comments earned instant outrage from commenters on social media.
"A quote — 'small potatoes' — that Republicans would absolutely hang over the head of a Dem president if he uttered it," wrote The Bulwark's Sam Stein. "Underscores the disparity in the messaging machines between the two parties."
"Ordering Americans into harm’s way is maybe the most solemn and serious responsibility of the Commander in Chief. And this guy calls it small potatoes?" wrote Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), himself a veteran of the Iraq War. "Every chicken hawk cheerleading this reckless war owns his disrespect of our troops and their patriotism."
"Every day he does the most un-American thing possible, and every day it's something new," wrote Tucson-based attorney Joe St. Louis. "I thought I was numb to his callousness, but God this makes by blood boil."