Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan, a New York congressman and Army veteran, isn’t holding back on his criticism of President Trump, calling his silence on the recent deaths of three American service members “pathetic,” as reported by The Hill. Ryan is deeply concerned that President Trump isn’t looking out for U.S. troops, especially as these casualties mount during operations against Iran.
U.S. Central Command confirmed that three American service members have been killed in “Operation Epic Fury.” Five others were seriously wounded, and several more suffered minor shrapnel injuries or concussions. Reports indicate these tragic deaths occurred from a suspected Iranian drone strike in Kuwait.
Ryan, who served as an Army intelligence officer during the Iraq War, made it clear that he finds President Trump’s refusal to answer questions from reporters about the fallen troops completely unacceptable. He feels that for the president to have “nothing to say to those family members, is pathetic.” Ryan believes this silence stems from a lack of a clear plan, or at least a plan that isn’t being shared with the American people.
Beyond the president’s perceived silence, Ryan is also sharply criticizing the entire operation itself
President Trump, for his part, did issue a statement, calling the three deceased service members “true American patriots.” He extended “our immense love and eternal gratitude” to their families. However, the president also shared a grim outlook in a video on his Truth Social platform, stating, “Sadly, there will be likely be more, before it ends. That’s the way it is.”
He vowed that America “will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against, basically, civilization.” President Trump also mentioned that the Pentagon expects more casualties, saying, “Three is three too many as far as I’m concerned. If you look at projections, they do projections, it could be quite a bit higher than that.”
Ryan argues that President Trump bypassed congressional approval for these strikes, which he sees as a grave error. Ryan feels “this decision was wrong on every level.” He worries that it’s “wrong strategically; it makes us less safe. It makes the American people less safe.” He also pointed to a procedural wrong, noting that President Trump “totally ignored the Constitution,” and even a moral wrong.
The congressman drew parallels between the current situation and “past ill-conceived, half-baked, regime-change wars.” He expressed frustration that these conflicts often “sound good until they start, and then all of a sudden no one knows what the heck is going on, and it’s young American men and women that pay the price, and that pisses me off.”
Published: Mar 2, 2026 03:30 pm