The dignified transfer ceremony was held after four U.S. soldiers were killed in Iranian strikes over the weekend.
President Donald Trump attended a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base on July 22 to honor the four U.S. service members who were killed in recent Iranian strikes in the Middle East.
The ceremony honored Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad of New York, 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan of Hawaii, Pvt. Isabella Gonzales of Texas, and Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton of North Carolina.
The service members were killed in action by Iranian strikes following the collapse of a temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
Three of the service members were killed in an Iranian strike on a U.S. base in Jordan. A fourth service member died during a controlled detonation of an Iranian attack drone at a U.S. base in Iraq.
The remains of the fallen service members were flown to Dover Air Force Base, where the soldiers were identified by their families before being transported to their final resting places.
In a Truth Social post on Wednesday morning, Trump confirmed his attendance at the dignified transfer.
“Heading to Dover Air Force Base to HONOR OUR HEROES!” he wrote.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially said Trump would attend the ceremony at Dover Air Force Base on July 21.
However, she later provided an update saying that the dignified transfer would not be taking place on that day.
On Tuesday, Trump reiterated that he would attend the rescheduled ceremony and described it as a “great honor.”
Before departing for the dignified transfer on Wednesday, Trump described the fallen soldiers as “great heroes.”
“We’re going to honor them,” he told reporters, later adding, “For me, it’s one of the hardest things to do as a president.”
Trump told reporters that his message to the families of the four fallen service members would be simple.
“We love you. We love your child,” he said. “There’s no games, no nothing—that’s their child. And all you can do is throw out your heart.”
A White House official confirmed that Trump would “privately meet with the families of our fallen heroes” before the ceremony.
Trump also addressed the deaths of the service members in comments to reporters on Sunday.
He said the fallen soldiers were “great patriots” who were fighting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Trump added that the U.S. military was continuing to strike Iran in honor of the fallen soldiers.
The War Department identified Rampersad on July 21 as the soldier who was initially reported as missing by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
The Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday that Rampersad was believed to have been killed during an Iranian attack against Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on July 17.
Before the Pentagon’s confirmation of Rampersad’s death, officials had announced the deaths of three other U.S. service members following Iranian strikes against U.S. military bases in the Middle East.
Feehan and Gonzales were both killed in action during an Iranian attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
Swinton died during a controlled detonation of a downed Iranian attack drone at Erbil Air Base in Iraq.
Since Operation Epic Fury was launched on Feb. 28, 18 U.S. service members have been killed.
The July 22 ceremony marked the third dignified transfer Trump has attended since the start of the war with Iran.
Following the recent deaths of U.S. service members, Trump said the United States would retaliate against Iran any time the regime killed U.S. troops.
In a Truth Social post on July 20, Trump wrote, “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!”
The president said he gave the directive to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth; Gen. Daniel Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and every leader in the U.S. military.
