Trump Slammed for Controversial Remark About Losing '13 People' in Iran War — Prez Has 'Zero Empathy'
Donald Trump faced backlash after commenting on the loss of life in the conflict in Iran.
May 21 2026, Published 7:00 p.m. ET
Donald Trump faced backlash after making a controversial remark about the loss of life the U.S. military has suffered amid the ongoing conflict in Iran, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
On Wednesday, May 20, Trump, 79, told a reporter that only 13 servicemembers had been killed in "two major wars."
'Somebody Else Would've Lost 100,000 People'
“You lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers in these various wars. In two wars, Venezuela, where we lost nobody, and here – we lost 13 people. Now, 13 people is 13 too much, but we lost 13 people. In other wars, you lost hundreds of thousands of people," Trump claimed.
"We took over Venezuela, we essentially took over Iran, and we've lost, so far, 13 people," he continued. "Somebody else would’ve lost 100,000 people, OK?"
Donald Trump appeared to mix up Joe Biden and Barack Obama during the interview.
“But I get a kick when I look at somebody on television [and they say], 'He’s lost 13 people.' I lost 13 people. They lost 13 people leaving an airport. Obama," he added, seemingly referring to a U.S. exit from Afghanistan in 2021, when 13 military members tragically died in a bombing at the Hamid Karzai International Airport.
However, it was Joe Biden and not Barack Obama who was in office at the time.
"Thirteen very good people that I got to know their families," Trump added.
Trump Slammed for Having 'Zero Empathy'
Social media users criticized Trump and claimed he had no 'empathy.'
As the clip made rounds on social media, a critic on X slammed the POTUS for allegedly treating American troops as little more than "numbers," while several others questioned the state of his cognitive health.
One user said, "I’m sure the family’s of the 13 soldiers don’t be a kick out of it," as another added, "Zero empathy – ZERO."
A third person said, "There is something deeply disturbingly wrong with that dude," and a fourth chimed in, "This guy is very insane."
Another critic wrote, "This clown is unfit. Always was, always will be."
Fresh Health Concerns
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Trump was recently accused of slurring his words, leading some people to question his health.
This comes after Trump sparked fresh health concerns after he was accused of "slurring" his words.
"The votes are rigged. You have a really rigged vote in California. You have all the mail-in ballots, everything else. Very hard to win because the elections are very dishonest," he said earlier this week. "If we had Jesus Christ come down and count the votes, I would have won California, because I do great with Hispanics, but it's a rigged vote."
One X user penned, "The slurred speech is really something else. Keep in mind that Trump’s doctor said he does not wear dentures. So why are we not talking about the slurred speech of our president?"
Meanwhile, another critic alleged, "His mental decline is becoming more apparent every day."
However, Trump and his team have continued to insist that he is fit as a fiddle.
Last October, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella released a memo claiming the president was in "excellent overall health" and that his "cardiac age" was approximately "14 years younger than his chronological age."
