Rep. Ted Lieu called for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz to resign during a heated House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on July 22, 2026, over rising American casualties in the Iran war. Lieu erupted at Waltz after the ambassador admitted he did not know the exact number of wounded U.S. troops, accusing him of providing false information to Congress.
“You should be shameful,” Lieu yelled, according to The Hill. “You don’t know basic facts. You should resign. You don’t even care about the number of U.S. troops that were wounded. You gave false information to Congress. You should be ashamed of yourself for not even knowing how many U.S. troops were wounded in the Iranian war.”
Waltz, who served as President Trump’s National Security Advisor before becoming UN Ambassador, is a 27-year military veteran. The hearing focused on the Trump administration’s handling of the Iran conflict, which has dragged on for nearly five months. Lieu pressed the ambassador on the safety of U.S. troops based in Jordan, where Iranian missile and drone strikes killed three service members on July 17, 2026, at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base.
According to the latest Pentagon figures cited in the hearing, 482 U.S. military personnel have been wounded in the Iran war, with 18 service members killed in hostile and nonhostile incidents. The fourth death came on July 21, 2026, during the controlled detonation of a downed Iranian attack drone at Erbil Air Base in Iraq. The Defense Department stated that 96 percent of injured troops have returned to duty.
Republican lawmakers defended Waltz during the exchange. Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey objected to Lieu’s language, urging him not to use “derogatory language” toward the UN ambassador. Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina noted Waltz’s military service record. Smith told Lieu, “Disagree all you want, but do it civilly, and that was not civil.”
The Iran war has become a flashpoint in Congress. President Trump initially described it as an “excursion” that would end within days or weeks, but the conflict has persisted since early 2026. An interim peace deal between the U.S. and Iran was shredded after hostilities reignited last week. Trump attended a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base on July 23, 2026, to receive the bodies of the four recently killed service members: 1st Lt. Tyler J. Feehan, Sgt. Michael E. Swinton, Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers the U.S. has spent $37.5 billion fighting the conflict and requested a $67 billion package to replenish military stockpiles and advance other Trump administration priorities. Tensions in Congress over the war span both parties, with Rep. Rich McCormick, a Georgia Republican, saying the U.S. should have finished the conflict “a long time ago.” The House passed a war powers resolution directing Trump to end Iran hostilities, with bipartisan support.
Sources
- The Hill — Lieu’s call for Waltz’s resignation, quoted statements, hearing details, casualty figures, and Republican responses
- Wikipedia (2026 Iran war) — Current casualty figures: 19 soldiers and 1 contractor killed, 482 military personnel wounded
- Al Jazeera — Lieu’s challenge to Waltz over Al Jazeera video footage during the hearing
- U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (USUN) — Waltz’s background as former National Security Advisor and military veteran
