Comments made by President Donald Trump calling the Iran war “small potatoes” are being widely condemned by lawmakers and critics alike, largely due to the president appearing to dismiss the 18 U.S. service members killed since the conflict began.

The remarks came after Trump was asked by ABC’s Rachel Scott in the Oval Office on Friday about Vice President JD Vance’s claim that the conflict in Iran was not a war.

“I’ll tell you what, a lot of people don’t call it a war,” Trump said. “I call it a military conflict because it’s small potatoes for us. It’s not a big thing. We did Venezuela, and we did this. In Venezuela, we lost nobody, and this we lost 18 people. In Vietnam you lost a 100 thousand people, and in other conflicts you lost tens of thousands of people.”

Scott quickly offered a retort to Trump, pointing out the service members killed in the war so far.

“It certainly doesn’t feel like small potatoes, Mr. President. 18 people have died in this,” Scott said.

Trump responded by continuing to compare Iran to the Vietnam War and asking Scott if she knew how long that conflict lasted.

“How long were we in Vietnam?” Trump said. “We’re in five months now. And you know what we did in five months? They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. That’s what we did. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon because if they did, you probably wouldn’t be standing here very long.”

Many Democratic lawmakers, including several who served in the military, sounded off on Trump’s seemingly cavalier attitude towards the service members who have been killed.

As of Friday, 18 service members have been killed and more than 750 wounded since the U.S. and Israel launched the war in late February.

See reactions to Trump’s comments on Friday here:

18 Americans dead. Hundreds more wounded.That's not "small potatoes", Mr. President.As elites talk tough and bang the war drums from their gold-plated offices, it’s working class folks who have to pick up a rifle, jump in a tank, and do the fighting.It pisses me off – and… https://t.co/ICuwpQp1eY

Tell that to the families of those who’ve died, or to the hundreds of other servicemembers who’ve been injured.This whole war is just a game to Trump. He doesn’t care about the consequences, because he has no idea what it means to fight for our country. https://t.co/gzQTF04PES

Wait did this draft dodger just say that losing 18 service members is "small potatoes" https://t.co/yFeHtaXVoy

“Small potatoes.” That’s how Donald Trump feels about the war he started in Iran.Tell that to the families of the 18 troops we’ve lost, the hundreds of wounded servicemembers, and the Americans suffering every single day from record high prices.There's nothing small about it. https://t.co/3N6xDu9wDB

Trump apparently thinks 18 service members dying is “small potatoes”.Absolutely horrible. https://t.co/GM57O05uXJ

What a horrific thing for our commander in chief to say about people who sacrificed their lives for our country. https://t.co/E0NVDj9Iyx

The President of the United States of America is human scum. https://t.co/Gj70QBzzBr

Private Isabella GonzalesFirst Lieutenant Tyler James FeehanCaptain Cody A. KhorkSergeant 1st Class Noah L. TietjensSergeant 1st Class Nicole M. AmorMajor Jeffrey O'BrienChief Warrant Officer 3 Robert MarzanMaj. John 'Alex' KlinnerCaptain Ariana SavinoTechnical Sergeant… https://t.co/VqDTJc80OW

Imagine being the loved ones of these 18 heroes and hearing the draft dodger who set them to their deaths calling it “small potatoes.” https://t.co/s5hzgKHp5k

He doesn’t care that you pay more for food.He doesn’t care you pay more for gas.  He doesn’t care our kids are dying in a dumb war.He is for him, and not for you. https://t.co/JJm5LVTxfH

imagine if you were the bereaved spouse or parents of someone who'd died in T***p's pointless war.  how much better for T***p just to not have press conferences--to keep silent. https://t.co/hmnzUTsEc0

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