Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) on Wednesday criticized President Donald Trump for referring to the ongoing conflict with Iran as a "skirmish," particularly on the same day as the transfer of four U.S. soldiers killed in the hostilities. Peters, a member of the Senate’s Armed Services Committee, stated on MSNBC that the term "skirmish" is a mischaracterization of the situation.
"This is a war. People die. It impacts people in a major way," Peters said. He accused Trump of "deceiving" Americans by "downplaying the implications" of the deadly conflict, which the president has also described as a "short excursion" and a "little detour."
Peters argued that the president's choice of words demonstrates a "failure of leadership" and a "disconnection from the kind of humanity that we expect in the leader of our country," especially when families are grieving casualties.
During a rally in Marietta, Georgia, Trump had reiterated his use of the term "skirmish," explaining that Iran was "getting hit so hard and they want to make a deal." One of the families of the four fallen soldiers was present at the rally, according to Politico.
Peters also raised concerns about the administration's handling of the war, suggesting that leadership lacks understanding of the strategic objectives or how to achieve victory. He pointed to reports of the Pentagon withholding information on troop injuries.
"There are costs in every war and every life is sacred, and we don’t see that kind of attitude from the president, which I think is completely despicable," Peters stated. Trump's remarks came as he also faced accusations of leveraging the fallen soldiers' support for the war for political gain.