President Donald Trump spoke publicly on Saturday about the deaths of two U.S. service members killed in an Iranian missile and drone strike on a base in Jordan the night before. Trump was reportedly spotted at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, at the time the U.S. military announced the deaths, according to The Daily Beast. However, it’s not known whether he knew about the casualties before going golfing.
Speaking to NewsNation correspondent Hannah Brandt, who said she had called Trump directly to ask him about the soldiers, the president said, “It’s a very sad thing. We hate to see it happen.” He then pivoted to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, telling Brandt, “It’s in service to our country… we’re never, they’re never going to allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
Brandt also said she asked Trump about Iran’s announcement that it no longer plans to follow a Memorandum of Understanding. According to Brandt, Trump responded, “I couldn’t care less.”
U.S. military confirms deaths, launches new airstrikes on Iran in response
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the two deaths on Saturday, saying the soldiers were killed during an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, which houses U.S. troops and fighter jets. Videos circulating online appeared to show thick plumes of black smoke rising from the base following what were reported to be at least two Iranian ballistic missile strikes.
According to CENTCOM, four other American service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals but have since been discharged, while others evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty. A third service member remains missing, per CENTCOM’s statement. “Out of respect for the families, CENTCOM will withhold additional information, including the identities of the fallen warriors, until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified,” the statement read.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reposted the CENTCOM notice on X, adding, “Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve.”
Later on Saturday evening, CENTCOM announced that U.S. forces had launched new airstrikes against Iran at Trump’s direction, saying the strikes were “designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night.”
The two deaths are reportedly the 15th and 16th U.S. service member fatalities since Trump launched the war against Iran on Feb. 28. Six service members were killed in a March Iranian drone attack on a base in Kuwait, followed by six more deaths in a refueling plane crash in Iraq later that month.
One additional service member was killed in an Iranian strike on Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base that same month. Earlier this month, a U.S. Navy officer, identified as Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards, was found dead after disappearing in the Arabian Sea following an emergency helicopter landing, bringing the total at that point to 14.
The latest deaths come amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran. Trump declared last Wednesday that a tentative ceasefire agreement reached in June was “over,” following renewed exchanges of fire between the two sides. Iran has also said it will no longer be bound by the terms of the ceasefire.
Trump has previously singled out Iranian negotiators as obstacles to a deal, saying he was not looking for negotiations at the time. On Tuesday, Trump said he would consider a ground invasion if he deemed it “appropriate,” and did not rule out deploying U.S. ground troops to Iran.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in July found that nearly four in five Americans expect the Iran war to last longer than initially suggested, despite Trump’s earlier claim that the war would be over within four to six weeks.
Trump has also repeatedly claimed that Iran’s military had been wiped out and that the country is “dying to make a deal,” though the continued Iranian strikes suggest the conflict is ongoing. The war was launched by Trump in coordination with Israel and with Hegseth’s backing. However, Congress was not consulted, as is required, and has since passed a resolution directing Trump to either seek congressional approval for the war or end it.
Published: Jul 19, 2026 08:00 am