President Donald Trump posted to social media on Thursday, defending Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who erroneously said on Wednesday that no Americans had been killed in the ongoing war with Iran.

In an interview with CNBC, Lutnick touted the administration's strategy of attempting an "economic choke out" of Iran and said that "there haven't been American deaths." Eighteen Americans have been killed so far in the conflict, which has now been active for more than six months.

Trump wrote on social media on Thursday that Lutnick had "Venezuela on his mind" when he made his remarks.