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Trump downplays reported injuries to U.S. troops in Iranian attack

As word came Wednesday (January 22) that more U.S. forces potentially injured in an Iranian rocket attack on an Iraqi military base had been flown to Germany for medical evaluation, President Donald Trump speaking in Davos, Switzerland, appeared to downplay the reported injuries.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"No, I heard that they had headaches and a couple of other things, but I would say, and I can report, it is not very serious. No very serious-- "

Iran fired at least a dozen ballistic missiles at Iraqi bases hosting U.S. troops on January 8th in retaliation for a U.S. drone strike that killed a top Iranian military commander.

Trump and other top officials initially said Iran's rockets had not killed or injured any U.S. service members.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING (JANUARY 09):

"They hit us with 16 missiles How many died? How many were wounded? Sir, none. None? [FLASH] How many were hurt? None, sir."

But the Pentagon reversed course last week, saying 11 U.S. troops were taking for medical treatment, including seven for concussion symptoms after the attack on the Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq.

And now more are being sent for evaluation. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said about a dozen troops were being transported to Germany.

A reporter asked Trump about the discrepancy.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"No, I don't consider them very serious injuries relative to other injuries that I've seen. I've seen what Iran has done with their roadside bombs to our troops, I've seen people with no legs and with no arms, I've seen people that were horribly, horribly injured, and that area, that war. [FLASH I consider them to be really bad injuries. No, I do not consider that to be bad injuries, no."

While the U.S. military has to immediately report incidents threatening life, limb or eyesight, it does not have the same requirement to report suspected traumatic brain injury, or TBI, which can take time to manifest and diagnose.

Pentagon officials have said there had been no effort to minimize or delay information on concussive injuries.