U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on board Air Force One while flying from Joint Base Andrews to Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S., June 5, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
President Donald Trump's administration is moving to respond after Iran downed a U.S. Army Apache helicopter, with the official X account for the U.S. Central Command proclaiming that they "began launching self-defense strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. ET today at the Commander in Chief’s direction," as "a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression."
But the use of the word "proportional" infuriated a number of right-wing war hawks who believe the U.S. shouldn't just settle for "proportional" — and they made themselves heard loud and clear on social media.
"As President Trump once said, if you take an ounce of American blood, he will take a gallon of yours," wrote former George W. Bush White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. "If they shoot down one helicopter, the response should not be 'proportional'. It should be so overwhelming that they never shoot at another American helicopter again."
"'Defensive strikes,' but not a 'response.' Weak [expletive]," wrote Jennifer Sloan Rachmuth, a former Republican campaign manager in North Carolina who was once arrested for following around a woman in Palestinian headdress.
"Proportional is unacceptable. We need to finish them!" wrote right-wing commentator Marc Thiessen.
"Hopefully we used a proportional nuke," wrote podcaster Matt Tardio.
"'Proportional.' Overwhelming response preferred," wrote NewsNation's Katie Pavlich.
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