President Donald Trump characterized the war in Iran on Friday as "small potatoes" and "not a big thing." He described the situation as a "military conflict" that is intermittent and characterized by flare-ups.
The president argued that the conflict is minor compared to the Vietnam War. He further compared the current death toll of 18 U.S. service members to the years-long wars in Vietnam and Afghanistan.
Despite a recent exchange of fire with Iran, Trump told reporters that the U.S. is "not fighting right now." He also stated that the United States had "essentially taken over" the country during the conflict, which has lasted more than six months.