Trump Tries to Claim That 18 Dead Soldiers Is a Good Thing, Actually

President Donald Trump is trying to use the number of U.S. service members he’s gotten killed to sell Americans on his war with Iran.

No sooner had the American death toll risen to 18 than the president started bragging that their deaths weren’t such a bad thing.

“Afghanistan War: 20 years, 2,000 DEAD. Iraq War: 9 years, 4,600 DEAD. Vietnam War: 19 years and 5 months, 58,220 DEAD. Korean War: 3 years and 1 month, 36,574 DEAD. Venezuela War: 1 day, 0 DEAD. Iran Military Conflict: 4 months, 18 DEAD,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday.

This isn’t the first time Trump has used the deaths of U.S. service members to hype himself up.

At the first dignified transfer in March, Trump sported a gaudy $55 gold-embroidered “USA” baseball cap. The second dignified transfer he skipped altogether. The third was used for content—against the wishes of the deceased’s families.

Following the collapse of Trump’s ceasefire deal, at least four U.S. service members have been killed, bringing the official death toll to 18. Roughly 500 U.S. service members have been injured, according to the Department of Defense. ...