By Seth McLaughlin (The Washington Times)
President Trump on Wednesday traveled to Delaware’s Dover Air Force Base to observe the dignified transfer of U.S. service members killed in the Middle East.
Three of the Army soldiers died after Friday’s Iranian drone attack at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan: 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii; Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas; and Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of New York City.
Another, Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, died Sunday following the controlled detonation of a downed Iranian attack drone at Irbil Air Base in Iraq.
The latest deaths bring the U.S. toll in the war to 18 people, and more than 500 people have been wounded in action.
Mr. Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were among the dignitaries who stood in silent respect alongside the grieving families as the flag-draped caskets were carried off a plane and loaded into a van.
Mr. Trump was previously at Dover with first lady Melania Trump in March, when they joined the dignified transfer for six U.S. service members who died in a refueling aircraft crash in Iraq.
Before Wednesday’s visit, Mr. Trump announced on Truth Social he was heading to Dover to “honor our heroes!”
Polls show a majority of Americans oppose the war. But speaking to reporters before his trip, he shot down the idea that Americans are against the war, arguing they are against higher gas prices and Iran getting a nuclear weapon.
He also said attending the dignified transfers for the families is “one of the hardest things to do as president — but it has to be done.”
A White House official said Mr. Trump would “privately meet with the families of our fallen heroes” before the dignified transfer.
Asked what he would tell the families, the president said, “All I am going to say is we love you, we love your child. There is no games, no nothing, and all you can do is throw out your heart.”
The family of Lt. Feehan joined Mr. Trump aboard Air Force One after the solemn ceremony.
A White House official said the family members, who are from Georgia, accepted the president’s offer to fly them home.
He was slated to appear later Wednesday in Marietta to promote Trump Accounts.
This article was made available to WMAL via The Washington Times.
