Adam Smith on Media

Adam Smith

Role at the time: Ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee

Statement summary

Smith calls the planned livestream disturbing and says it makes a mockery of the legal system.

“There is a reason why we treat the meting out of justice with the seriousness it demands.”

Adam Smith

Role at the time: Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee and U.S. Representative for Washington's 9th District, in a statement posted on the committee Democrats' official X account

Statement summary

In a statement posted on the House Armed Services Committee Democrats' X account on Sept. 18, Ranking Member Adam Smith says he is aware of reports that the number of service members who died in operations related to the Iran war "may be higher" than the Defense Department has reported. He says the department owes Congress and the public more transparency and that, whether the earlier DCAS figures resulted from "a technical error, efforts to obfuscate the true toll, or something else," it is "inexcusable and must be fixed."

“I am aware of reports that the actual number of U.S. service members who have died while supporting operations related to Trump's war against Iran may be higher than previously reported by the Department of Defense. Whether these additional deaths were the direct result of hostile fire or were non-combat related, they died while serving our country and each loss is a tragedy. The Department of Defense owes it to Congress and the American public to be more transparent about the impacts and true cost of this war. Ensuring proper reporting to Congress and the public through the Defense Casualty Analysis Systems (DCAS) is critical. Whether the figures previously cited in DCAS were the result of a technical error, efforts to obfuscate the true toll, or something else—it is inexcusable and must be fixed.”