Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has launched a sharp attack on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of exhibiting “bloodlust” after he posted about US service members killed in the ongoing conflict with Iran. The exchange highlights deepening divisions over American military involvement in the Middle East, even as the Trump administration presses forward with operations against Iranian forces.
Hegseth, in a post on X, shared a statement from US Central Command (CENTCOM) announcing the deaths of American troops in Jordan and wrote: “Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve.” Greene responded by directly challenging his characterization, stating, “Sacrifice?? What the f--- are you talking about?? They did not willingly sacrifice themselves. They were killed because of the war you, Trump, and the admin, are waging on behalf of a FOREIGN COUNTRY, Israel. You mean their deaths fuel your bloodlust for a senseless war.”
The Pentagon swiftly pushed back against Greene’s remarks. Acting Press Secretary Joel Valdez told Fox News Digital: “These comments are disgusting, especially from a former member of Congress. Ideological disagreements are normal, but using the death of our service members as fuel for her hatred of the Trump administration is out of line. We all serve at the pleasure of the President of the UNITED STATES, not a foreign nation or foreign leaders.” A White House spokesperson also defended the administration’s stance, pointing to President Donald Trump’s comments from Sunday, in which he expressed sympathy for the fallen troops while emphasizing the need to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The exchange comes after CENTCOM reported that two US service members were killed in Jordan on July 17 during Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks, with a third service member initially listed as missing. In an update on Sunday, CENTCOM said that unidentified remains had been found at the location and were undergoing verification. Separately, a US service member was killed in northern Iraq on July 18 during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone. A second service member was wounded and is receiving treatment for minor injuries.
The War Department has identified two of the fallen soldiers as 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas. Both were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. They were supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the international campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, which has since ended operations in Iraq while consolidating its presence in Syria.
The deaths bring the total number of US service members killed since the war began to 17, with more than 420 wounded. President Trump has vowed a strong response, writing on Truth Social: “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over! This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every Leader in the Military.” Trump also claimed that Iran has been “very, very badly damaged” militarily, asserting that the nation has “lost everything, almost.”
Greene, who resigned from Congress in early January and had a falling out with Trump last year, has been a vocal critic of the administration’s military posture. In a Saturday post, she urged Trump to “bring our troops home and stop this senseless America LAST war!!!” Her comments have reignited debate over US foreign policy, with some former officials, including ex-counterterrorism official Joe Kent, calling for a full withdrawal of American forces from the Middle East.
The controversy underscores the political and human toll of the conflict, as families of the fallen await the return of their loved ones and the nation grapples with the costs of an extended military campaign. The Pentagon has emphasized that the troops were serving under the president’s command, not any foreign nation, and that their sacrifice should not be politicized.
