US Commerce Secy Lutnick apologizes for saying no Americans have died in Iran war

Washington: U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick apologized on Thursday for stating that no Americans had died in the Iran war, acknowledging that 18 service members have been killed and he was thinking ‌about ⁠Venezuela when ⁠he made the mistaken statement.

"I misspoke. Eighteen members ​of our military have died, and to those families ​my heart breaks and I am so very sorry for their loss. I was ​thinking about the Venezuelan military ⁠operation where ‌no service members died," Lutnick said ​in ​a post on X.

Lutnick made the ⁠comments during an interview with CNBC ​on Wednesday in which Venezuela did ​not come up.


"I think the way the president is playing Iran... There haven't been American deaths. It's really just an economic choke-out, which the administration is now ‌executing more broadly, and I think it'll be very effective," Lutnick told ​CNBC.

Moments before ​Lutnick's apology, ⁠Trump defended the commerce secretary on Truth Social.

"Sec. Lutnick had Venezuela on his mind when he ​said nobody was killed. 18 people were killed in Iran!" Trump wrote.

To date, the U.S. has reported 18 military personnel killed and more than 750 wounded.