There’s a growing chorus in media and politics that seems less interested in American success than in scoring points against it—and frankly, it’s getting old. The anti-American, anti-Conservative, anti-common-sense commentary has reached a point where some voices are openly framing U.S. victories as defeats, just for the chance to pin blame on Donald Trump.
Take the reaction over the weekend, before the successful rescue mission. Commentator David Brooks was already laying the groundwork to declare America was “losing” the conflict—before the outcome was even clear. Listen for yourself:
The reality, of course, is the exact opposite. The United States is not losing—by any measurable standard. And the safe recovery of American pilots without loss of life is proof of that.
What unfolded was nothing short of extraordinary. A pilot shot down on Good Friday survived by hiding in a rocky mountain crevice throughout Saturday, only to be rescued on Easter Sunday. The symbolism alone is striking—but even more remarkable was the pilot’s first message after being saved: “God is good.”
It’s the kind of story that reminds Americans what resilience, faith, and elite military capability look like in action.
President Trump detailed the operation:
Another airman, separated by miles and hunted by hundreds of IRGC troops—with a $60,000 bounty on his head—also evaded capture. The CIA launched a calculated deception campaign, convincing Iranian forces that the pilots had already been extracted via ground convoy.
It worked.
U.S. forces located both men and executed a daring extraction deep inside Iranian-controlled territory—so deep, in fact, that they had to construct a makeshift airfield to complete the mission. When two transport planes became disabled, three additional aircraft were deployed, and the compromised planes were destroyed to prevent enemy capture.
At the same time, CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper authorized a B-2 bomber strike that obliterated the underground IRGC headquarters—simultaneously rescuing American personnel and crippling enemy command infrastructure.
Even seasoned military leadership took notice. Former CENTCOM commander General Frank McKenzie admitted the mission would have made him uneasy to carry out, yet he recognized its success:
Critics, however, quickly shifted focus—not to the success, but to equipment losses. These are many of the same voices who said little about the billions in military equipment abandoned in Afghanistan during the Biden administration.
To put things in perspective, the value of losses in this mission is a fraction—roughly one-twentieth—of the funds lost in Minnesota welfare fraud alone.
Still, some Democrats chose to focus on rhetoric rather than results. Senator Tim Kaine offered criticism instead of acknowledgment:
General McKenzie also pointed out another telling detail: the Iranian public showed little enthusiasm in helping their regime track down the American pilots. That’s hardly surprising, given decades of oppression under the ruling government.
President Trump reinforced that point during an exchange with PBS reporters, emphasizing that many Iranians would welcome pressure against the regime:
Meanwhile, criticism escalated further. Senator Jeff Merkley accused Trump of making threats that could constitute war crimes, calling his rhetoric “immoral” and urging military leaders to reject such orders.
The accusation overlooks a key reality: international law allows for targeting infrastructure—such as power grids—if it contributes to military operations and offers a strategic advantage. These determinations depend on intelligence and execution, not blanket political statements.
Trump’s response made clear he has no intention of backing down:
Other lawmakers echoed similar narratives, claiming the U.S. was “losing” to Iran:
Yet as these criticisms circulated, the facts on the ground told a different story. American pilots were rescued from hostile territory. Enemy command infrastructure was destroyed. Iran, facing a clear demonstration of U.S. capability, began advancing diplomatic proposals.
President Trump addressed those developments directly:
The proposals, he noted, are not sufficient—but they indicate movement in the right direction. And that movement followed a decisive show of American strength.
While debates continue in Washington and on television, the outcome of the mission is clear: no Americans left behind, a successful strike against enemy leadership, and a strategic shift that has adversaries reconsidering their position.
That’s the difference between rhetoric and results.