Breaking: 2 US Service Members Killed in Trump War

Summary

The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: BREAKING: 2 US Service Members Killed in Trump War

Date: July 18, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

---

Episode Overview

This breaking news episode delivers urgent coverage of the deaths of two U.S. service members and a missing American in Jordan, attributed to ongoing U.S.-Iranian hostilities now being referred to by the hosts as "Trump’s catastrophic war." The Meiselas brothers provide real-time updates, analysis of U.S. military activity, breakdowns of political statements, and their characteristically intense critique of Donald Trump's foreign policy and its consequences. The tone is urgent, unsparing, and charged with both outrage and somberness over service member casualties.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking News: U.S. Casualties in Jordan

• [01:28] The show opens with a direct and grave update:
  • Two U.S. service members have been killed at Muafak Salti Air Base in Jordan, following Iranian missile and drone strikes.
  • One additional American is missing in action.
  • Four others were medically evacuated, treated, and discharged.
• Distrust in Official Reports:
  • The host repeatedly emphasizes skepticism toward CENTCOM (U.S. Central Command), accusing them of covering up the full extent of casualties:

    "Although we do know that CENTCOM lies about everything and that they have been covering this up for many days now."
    — [01:54]

  • They reference prior injuries being downplayed or concealed by military officials and suggest the real toll is likely higher.

2. Failure of U.S. Defensive Systems

• [04:41] Discussion turns to military details:
  • U.S. Patriot (PAC-3) and THAAD missile defense batteries are reportedly either absent or depleted in Jordan and other affected areas, leaving American bases highly vulnerable.
  • Iranian attacks are coordinated in salvos of 8-12 missiles, overwhelming what defenses do exist.
  • Visual evidence and maps are cited, detailing the extent of Iranian strikes—particularly after U.S. attacks on Iranian infrastructure.

3. Escalation Cycle: Targeting Infrastructure and Retaliation

• The hosts explain a tit-for-tat escalation pattern:

  • The U.S. has been targeting Iranian infrastructure, specifically bridges and desalination plants, causing significant civilian hardship (notably, water shortages for villages).
  • In retaliation, Iran has struck American-aligned infrastructure in Kuwait—again focusing on crucial water supply and petroleum export facilities.
  • Iranian threats continue, with intentions to widen targets to include airports and ports in the UAE, and to choke off the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait via Houthi and Somali aligned groups.

  "That's why Iran responded by hitting the desalinization facilities in Kuwait... Iran is also warning that further strikes against Iranian infrastructure will result in Iran targeting Abu Dhabi, Dubai airports in the UAE."
  — [08:08]

4. Political and Rhetorical Warfare

• Iranian Supreme Leader’s Statement:
  • Quotes are read aloud from Iran’s supreme leader Mohtaba Khamenei, excoriating the U.S. and dismissing ongoing agreements:

    "The Great Satan has once again revealed its true face without a mask. So that this dark experience of crime and bad faith will stand as yet another powerful testament to America’s deceitfulness, irrationality, untrustworthiness, and wickedness..."
    — [07:37]

• Host Commentary:
  • The hosts note that Trump’s regime has destroyed global trust in America, painting the escalation as both predictable and avoidable.

5. Trump Administration’s Response and Messaging

• A collection of audio clips (with timestamps) highlight the Trump administration’s combative rhetoric:
  • [10:48] Trump:

    "They want to settle so badly. They don't like what we're doing and they do want to settle. We'll find out whether or not we settle with them or we just finish it off."

  • [11:05] Trump:

    "We'll have Iran defeated soon. They'll be defeated very soon. And then I guess it'll be even better."

  • The hosts deride Trump’s repeated promises of swift victory, recalling he once promised the situation would "go away in a few days."
• [11:51] Trump Press Secretary Caroline Levitt:
  • Defends aggression as necessary to prevent Iranian nuclear capability, referencing "Operation Epic Fury":

    "That's why he launched Operation Epic Fury. They have suffered devastating blows... The president is always open and willing to diplomacy. He is the peace through strength president after all."
    — Caroline Levitt [11:51]

  • Levitt maintains that despite catastrophic escalation and ongoing negotiations, Trump "proved to the entire world that we can hit Iran anytime, anywhere, any place" and claims Iran's defense is "wiped out."

6. Anger and Grief Over Losses

• Wrapping up, the host expresses profound grief and fury over the service member deaths and the broader war:

  "My heart goes out to, of course, the families of the service members who have died as a result of Donald Trump's catastrophic behavior. I'm absolutely, absolutely furious. I'm furious at anybody who voted for this sicko, for this warmonger genocidal maniac in the oval office... You've destroyed the United States reputation and standing, created a catastrophic war that was so obvious, so obvious this would be the outcome."
  — [13:38]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On CENTCOM’s credibility:

  "We know that CENTCOM lies about everything... It is really sickening and disturbing that this is what CENTCOM has become. But this is the Trump regime."
  — Political Commentator [02:43]

• On the escalation pattern:

  "And the escalation ladder continues... This is exactly the escalatory trap that we've been warning about."
  — Political Commentator [06:53]

• On Trump’s repeated ‘very soon’ rhetoric:

  "Remember when he said this would go away in a few days—play this clip."
  — Political Commentator [11:05]

• Iranian Leader on breaking the MOU:

  "The Great Satan’s repeated violations of the Memorandum of Understanding... once again proved to everyone how worthless and unreliable the signature of the U.S. president is."
  — Quoting Mojtaba Khamenei [07:15]

• Fury toward Trump-supporting voters:

  "Shame on you. And saying that doesn’t even do it justice. You’ve destroyed the United States reputation and standing, created a catastrophic war that was so obvious..."
  — Political Commentator [13:38]

---

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [01:28] Breaking news on U.S. casualties in Jordan
• [04:41] Failure of U.S. missile defenses discussed; escalation details
• [07:15] Iran’s supreme leader denounces U.S., threatens broader war
• [08:08] U.S. and Iran escalate attacks on civilian infrastructure
• [10:48] Trump audio: “They want to settle so badly—maybe we’ll just finish it off.”
• [11:05] Trump: “We’ll have Iran defeated soon.”
• [11:51] Trump’s press secretary defends “Operation Epic Fury”
• [13:23] Trump: “We won in Venezuela... winning big in Iran...”
• [13:38] Host’s concluding grief, anger, and criticism

---

Summary Flow and Tone

Throughout, the conversation is fast-paced, charged, and wholly focused on the crisis at hand. The hosts take turns blending urgent news coverage and in-depth military/political analysis with raw, emotional appeals for accountability—especially targeting Donald Trump and his administration’s hawkish policies. The tone is both substantiative and editorial: facts are interwoven with vocal moral outrage and appeals for democratic action and awareness.

---

This episode provides a bracing, critical real-time account of U.S.-Iran war developments and notable casualties, demystifying conflicting government narratives, contextualizing the unfolding escalation, and giving voice to mounting antiwar anger inside the progressive community.

Transcript

[Political Commentator]

Hi, Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. Are you looking for a beach read this summer? May I suggest your big wireless build? It's got suspense, mystery, a slightly flat emotional arc, and a shocking twist where you realize you've been overpaying the entire time. Fortunately, though, Mint's story is better. Every plan $15 a month, even unlimited. That's it. Happy ending, zero tears. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment

[Mint Mobile Advertiser]

of $45 for three months, $90 for six months or $180 for a 12 month plan required $15 per month equivalent taxes and fees Extra initial plan term only greater than 50gb. Me slow when network is busy. See terms.

[Shopify Business Owner]

I started Ornod in 2013 and we make bike apparel. The best part of Shopify for me is our ability to run the business as essentially non technical people. We're able to admin everything on the back end, front end, and sell things online easily. If Shopify were a bike accessory, I think it would actually be the bicycle. It's the thing that you do the thing on. We run the business on Shopify. So start your free trial on shopify.com

[Shopify User Kiana]

I'm Kiana and I leveled up my business with Shopify. Once I figured out that Shopify was a thing, I never turned back. I can create a site with my eyes closed. Shopify thinks ahead of us, you know, and it thinks about the customer more than anything. Every day I'm thinking about some other new business, but Shopify is doing it to me because it's so easy to use. It's like I can't stop. I'm addicted to Start your free [e-mail]

[Political Commentator]

this is a BREAKING news alert. It is with deep regret that we must report US Service member fatalities in the Middle east as a result of Donald Trump's catastrophic war. U.S. central Command says that two U.S. service members were killed in action in Jordan on July 17 when defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks following Donald Trump's escalation of this catastrophic war. CENTCOM also says that one service member is currently missing in action. Four additional American service members were medically evacuated to a Jordanian hospital and have since been discharged, according to centcom. Although we do know that CENTCOM lies about everything and that they have been covering this up for many days now. I've been talking about other strikes by Iran in Jordan and in the region where I saw med evac airplanes and and other med evac indications showing that I believe there are other casualties that CENTCOM is still covering up but they have now admitted at least two service members were killed. They claim that the other service members are being treated for minor injuries and have returned to duty, although we know that CENTCOM has lied about making claims like this before. When people have traumatic brain injury and when people have been severely injured as what also occurred at the start of this war. Now, about five months ago, CENTCOM would say the same thing. And we now know definitively that that was a lie. It is really sickening and disturbing that this is what CENTCOM has become. But this is the Trump regime. Let me repeat. Two U.S. service members confirm killed in action in Jordan and an additional service member is missing. And we also believe that the casualty count will increase significant. I believe that there are far more serious injuries than are being reported and there may also be some additional fatalities that are not being reported. These are the casualties confirmed by CENTCOM as of now. But we know that CENTCOM lies about everything. We have the footage over here showing Iran's direct missile hit on the Muafak Salty air base in Jordan where this took place. First, let me just share with you the B roll that I was yesterday that I was playing earlier today as well. And I was saying I believe there are casualties. Recall I was saying this is where the barracks are. There were troops at that base. And it should also be noted that the Patriot interceptors, those Pac Threes and those Thads are either not there in Jordan and not there in a lot of these locations in the Middle east or because the munitions have been so depleted or they're just ineffective because Iran is sending anywhere from eight to 12 ballistic missiles at a time in each salvo.

[Shopify User Kiana]

That's it.

[Political Commentator]

And the US Interceptors are not able to strike it down. Let me show you the video right here capturing the moment that several of these Iranian medium to intermediate range ballistic missiles struck the Muafik salty air base, killing at least two and injuring several other American service members. Here's this. I showed the other B roll. Let me show you this video though. Let's play. Here's a map of some of the other Iranian strikes of US Air bases. And Iran is striking hard not only in the Muafic Salty base in Jordan, but we also saw other bases in Jordan being hit very hard. You'll recall earlier this week the King Faisal air base was being hit hard in Jordan. I'll show you the B roll right here. The before and after. I believe there was casualties there that are still being covered up. That was earlier in the week. But there are also US Bases in Saudi Arabia being hit. Bahrain in Kuwait. Oil tankers that are trying to get out of the Strait of Hormuz through the US Route are being targeted in Iraq, being hit hard by Iran. And this is after the United States has escalated, of course, hitting civilian infrastructure in Iran, taking out dozens of bridges in Iran and tunnels in Iran. Also the US Struck multiple desalinization facilities in Iran, which then led Iran to respond by hitting two desalinization facilities in Kuwait. And that's how Kuwait gets its water from the desalinization facilities. And so they're now both in Iran and, and Iran says it will be expanding. You know, this as well, the inability to get drinking water. And this began because the US Started striking the desalinization facilities of Iran. So Iran said, all right, we'll hit him in Kuwait. And the US Interceptors not working, not there, you know, or both. I'll show you. Just to remind you earlier in the week as well, here's a Iranian Revolutionary Guard Shahid striking a US Military logistical facility in Kuwait City. You can see this for yourself. Let's play it. And the escalation ladder continues. The U.S. sending lots of Strato tankers, lots of F16s. They're landing more in Jordan, in Israel right now. And there's just all out war taking place right now. And you know, this will continue to. This is exactly the escalatory trap that we've been warning about. Iran also struck the Kuwait National Petroleum Company north Pier crude oil export facility at the Mena Al Hamadi hub in Kuwait. Kuwait relies on this hub for new 90% essentially of its economy. Now we're hearing from Iran's supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khomeini. He said the MoU is not worth the paper it was written on. He also says the Great Satan's repeated violations of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the presidents of Iran and the US Once again proved to everyone how worthless and unreliable the signature of the US President is. And the bullying, hegemonic ambitions and savagery are inseparable elements of the American way and doctrine. The Great Satan has once again revealed its true face without a mask. So that this dark experience of crime and bad faith will stand as yet another powerful testament to America's deceitfulness, irrationality, untrustworthiness and wickedness. Now that the American enemy is seeking to ignite war and incur even heavier costs and greater disgrace, it should know that the beloved Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons in store for it the bravery of the fighters of Islam and the Kurdish courage of the people of Iran's southern region in recent days have already demonstrated examples of those lessons. More photos of the US striking bridges. The Jos desalinization plant is where the US struck cutting off drinking water to 20 villages in Iran. That's why Iran responded by hitting the desalinization facilities in Kuwait. Iran is also warning that further strikes against Iranian infrastructure will result in Iran targeting Abu Dhabi, Dubai airports in the uae. The ports of Fujairah and Jebel Ali in the UAE will also be targeted. And Iran threatening that it will shut down the Bab El Mandab Strait through the Houthis in Yemen. We saw at the end of last week the Houthis in Yemen showing up by the hundreds of thousands to show support for their leader, Abdul Malik Al Houthi. You saw the massive crowds there. And they are ready to go, ready to fight. They're also working with the Somalis allied resistance groups there to shut down the Bab El Mandab Strait from both sides. It seems obvious that Donald Trump will continue to escalate after these two US Service members were killed. And Trump will now, I'm sure, start, you know, as Trump will start striking power plants, even more striking more infrastructure, which is going to read lead to the catastrophic ending and outcome that again, we've been warning about every single day here. Just to remind you, when the week ended, Donald Trump was saying Iran wanted to settle really badly. Remember this? Play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

We, they want to settle so badly. They don't like what we're doing and they do want to settle. We'll find out whether or not we settle with them or we just finish it off.

[Political Commentator]

And Trump said we'll defeat them very soon. The same thing he's been saying now for five months. Remember when he said this would go away in a few days.

[Donald Trump]

Play this clip booming and we'll have Iran defeated soon. They'll be defeated very soon. And then I guess it'll be even better. But you know, even during this, it's been, it's been amazing.

[Political Commentator]

I mean, then you had the US Media asking Caroline Levich to say just really poorly worded questions, which is, why do you think there can be a deal if Iran previously breached the mou? I mean, it was Trump, the moment he held up the MOU in Versailles, you know, started, you know, breaching it right away and engaging in bad faith and was never serious about the deal to begin with. And here's what Caroline Levitt had To say they want to do a deal, you could tell they really want to do a deal. Play this clip.

[Mint Mobile Advertiser]

Essentially seen fed up with these negotiations. And can you explain why the American people should think that a deal with Iran would even be worthwhile at this point, given the fact that they broke it already. Well, look at how bad they are behaving. It just proves the President's initial point for launching Operation Epic Fury in the first place. Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon. That's why he launched Operation Epic Fury. They have suffered devastating blows to their military and their economy as a result. The president is always open and willing to diplomacy. He is the peace through strength president. After all, after Operation Epic Fury, the conclusion of it, we did move forward into a diplomatic phase, if you will. But unfortunately, Iran has since violated that. They have expressed they still want to make a deal to the President. We're talking to them. But again, the president is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the strait without paying a consequence for that. And I think just one more point. I think throughout this entire endeavor, the president has proved not just to Iran, but to the entire world that we can hit Iran anytime, anywhere, any place. And their ability to defend themselves has been essentially wiped out because of this president in Operation Epic Fury in the first place. Sure, go ahead. Thank you so much.

[Political Commentator]

Welcome back.

[Mint Mobile Advertiser]

Thank you. Two questions.

[Political Commentator]

And then in Donald Trump's national address, he said, we are winning big in Iran. You will see the fruits of our labor shortly. This is what the genocidal war criminal who has destroyed the United States has had to say here at play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

We won in Venezuela, which is now working with us to produce millions and millions of barrels of oil. We are likewise winning big in Iran. And you will see the fruits of that labor very, very shortly.

[Political Commentator]

Well, there you have it, folks. The my heart goes out to, of course, the families of the service members who have died as a result of Donald Trump's catastrophic behavior. I'm absolutely, absolutely furious. I'm furious at anybody who voted for this sicko, for this warmonger genocidal maniac in the Oval Office or in Bedminster right now on the golf course. That's where he actually is right now, on his fricking golf course. So shame on you. And saying that doesn't even do it justice. You've destroyed the United States reputation and standing, created a catastrophic war that was so obvious, so obvious this would be the outcome. And now the escalation ladder continues. And it just seems that more and more American service members are going to get killed, that more people in the Middle east are going to die needlessly as a result of Donald Trump's catastrophic and disgusting and just despicable all around existence. Hit subscribe. Let's get to 7 million subscribers. Breaking news right now. My brothers and I wrote a book. It's called WTF America? And well, doesn't that just say it all. It comes out officially this October, but you can pre order your copy today. Just scan the QR code or click the link in the description below.