President Trump attended a dignified transfer Saturday at Dover Air Force Base as the remains of six U.S. service members killed in the opening days of the war with Iran were returned to the United States. He was accompanied by first lady Melania Trump and senior administration officials.
The Defense Department identified the fallen as Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39; Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20; Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien, 45; and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One after the transfer, Mr. Trump said he was glad the administration had paid its respects and called the situation “tough.” He noted the families’ pride and described the conflict as proceeding “unbelievably” and “as good as it can be,” and when asked whether he might return to Dover for additional transfers he said he would “hate to do it” but acknowledged that such losses are the sad part of war.
The Pentagon said the six died in an unmanned aircraft system attack in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, on March 1. All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, based in Des Moines, Iowa, a unit responsible for food, supplies and logistics support.
On arrival at Dover, Mr. Trump was met by base and mortuary affairs commanders. Earlier in the day, while speaking with Latin American leaders in Miami, he called the soldiers’ deaths a “very sad situation,” observed that they were returning “in a different manner than they thought they’d be coming home,” and called them “great heroes.”
Dignified transfers, which return the remains of service members killed in action, are regarded as among the most solemn duties a commander in chief performs; Mr. Trump has previously described participation in such ceremonies as one of the hardest responsibilities of the presidency.
After the ceremony at Dover, the president was scheduled to return to his residence at Mar-a-Lago.