<img src="https://www.rawstory.com/media-library/ted-lieu-and-mike-waltz.jpg?id=67521916&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>A fight erupted on Capitol Hill Wednesday when U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz reported a wounded-troop count that enraged Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA). </p><p>Waltz faced questions about fatalities linked to daily strikes in Iran during a <a href="https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/committee-activity/hearings/united-nations-accountability-and-reform-advancing-an-america-first-foreign-policy-through-strategic-diplomacy-and-burden-sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">House Committee on Foreign Affairs</a> hearing. </p><p>Eighteen U.S. service members have been reported killed and 447 wounded — including a third soldier from a July 17 Iranian missile strike in Jordan whose death the Pentagon has not yet formally confirmed, according to <a href="https://www.kcra.com/article/us-military-deaths-injuries-hostile-action/73217998" target="_blank">KCRA</a>. <span></span></p><p>That death toll hung over the hearing room when Lieu opened his questioning.</p><p>"How many U.S. troops have been wounded in the Iran war?" Lieu asked.</p><p>"My understanding from the Defense Department's latest numbers is over a hundred," Waltz replied.</p><p>"That number is wrong," Lieu fired back.</p><p>Lieu cited the Defense Casualty Analysis System — the Pentagon's own database tracking casualties for Congress and the president — putting the wounded count at 482. </p><p><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-injuries-us-service-members/" target="_blank">CBS News</a> reported the system has lagged events by days or weeks throughout the war.</p><p>Lieu then referenced Waltz's previous position as national security adviser, which he lost after <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/05/01/waltz-resigns-trump-admin-signal-scandal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">accidentally adding</a> The Atlantic's editor-in-chief to a Signal chat discussing imminent military strikes.</p><p>"The reason you are here today and in your position is because you were fired by the president from your former position as national security adviser," Lieu said.</p><p>"The president never said a negative word about me!" Waltz shot back.</p><p>Lieu moved on to the war itself. Trump declared on March 16 that Iran's military was "literally obliterated," <a href="https://www.politifact.com/article/2026/mar/17/iran-war-us-destroyed-military-capability/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">according to PolitiFact</a>. Lieu wanted to know how that squared with the body count.</p><p>"You need to explain to the American people how an Iranian military that's been purportedly obliterated killed 18 U.S. service members and wounded 482 U.S. service members," Lieu said.</p><p>"The Iranian Navy, Air Force, air defense system, and industrial capacity have been massively damaged, if not completely ineffective," Waltz replied.</p><p>"[U.S. troops] are exposed right now in the Middle East — repeatedly being exposed to Iranian missiles!" Lieu pressed. "You should be ashamed! You don't know basic facts!" </p><p>"Because it's not our problem!" Waltz replied.</p><p>"You should resign! You don't even care about the number of U.S. troops that were wounded!" Lieu said.</p><p>A Republican colleague moved to have Lieu's words stricken from the record, calling him out for dishonoring "the distinguished ambassador."</p><p>"He lied to Congress!" Lieu said. "November is coming for you and this administration!"</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="rumble" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://rumble.com/embed/v7ax8r8/?pub=1d24rz" width="640"></iframe></p> via Raw Story https://ift.tt/nRCqQ2N
