Fact Check: Did Pete Hegseth cover up US casualty toll of nearly 750 killed or wounded?
WASHINGTON, DC: A rumor has been going viral on social media platforms claiming that the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, covered up the real number of United States soldiers killed or wounded in the ongoing war with Iran, sparking concerns and criticisms from online users. Let us analyze the origins of the claim and fact-check the viral rumor.
Claim: Major casualty cover-up by Pete Hegseth
The viral claim that surfaced as a post on X, accompanied by a caption stating, “Major casualty cover-up by Hegseth, almost 750 U.S. troops killed or wounded.” The post even credits The Intercept as the source for the claim.
The post has garnered almost two million views and thousands of likes. Those commenting under the post are being critical of Hegseth as well as the Trump administration for hiding the real numbers, while a few others dismissed it as a fake claim.
Fact Check: The number of casualties quoted is since October 2023, not since February
The claim, however, is false as there is no credible evidence proving that a large number of US troops have been killed or wounded since the beginning of the war with Iran.
Moreover, the article by The Intercept mentions that almost 750 US troops have been wounded or killed in the Middle East since October 2023, and not since the beginning of the conflict in February.
As of the latest reports, more than a dozen US soldiers were killed, and more than 500 military personnel were wounded since the start of the war.
Despite facing several setbacks, the claim of 750 casualties is false and misleading.
Donald Trump says ground troops in Iran not off the table
President Donald Trump made it clear he is not closing the door on a major military escalation with Iran, saying in a phone conversation with The Hill on Sunday, April 5, that deploying US ground troops remains a possibility.
Asked directly whether he would rule out sending forces into Iran, Trump responded with a blunt “No,” signaling that even the most aggressive option is still on the table as tensions continue to rise.
In the same conversation, Trump presented diplomacy as the obvious choice while hinting at severe consequences if it fails.
“Normal people would make a deal. Smart people would make a deal,” he said, before reiterating, “If they were smart, they would make a deal.”
Over the course of the weekend, Trump suggested a deal could come together quickly at one point, saying it might happen by Monday, while also warning that failure to reach an agreement would trigger sweeping retaliation.
