DOVER, Del. — President Donald Trump attended the dignified transfer of four U.S. service members killed in recent attacks in the Middle East on Wednesday, joining their families at Dover Air Force Base as the remains of the troops returned to the United States for final honors.
The White House said Trump traveled to Dover for the ceremony, one of the most solemn responsibilities of a U.S. commander in chief. It marked the third dignified transfer he has attended since the United States expanded military operations against Iran earlier this year.
According to the Department of Defense, those being honored included First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Hawaii, and Private Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Texas, who were killed in Iranian missile and drone attacks in Jordan. Sergeant Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of New York, who had been missing after the same attacks and is now believed to have been killed, was also returned. The fourth service member was Sergeant Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of North Carolina, who died in Iraq during the detonation of an Iranian drone, according to the Pentagon.
"I'll be going to Dover for something that I feel is a great honor for me to do," Trump told reporters at the White House before the ceremony, describing the visit as an opportunity to pay respects to the fallen.
During a dignified transfer, flag-draped transfer cases carrying the remains of service members are moved from military aircraft to waiting vehicles before being taken to the mortuary facility at Dover Air Force Base, where preparations are made for burial. Family members may attend the ceremony, which is conducted with military honors.
The Army said Feehan will be posthumously promoted to captain and awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge. Swinton will also receive the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge and be posthumously promoted to staff sergeant. Gonzales and Rampersad served with air defense units based in Germany, according to the Defense Department.
The transfers come as the United States continues military operations linked to the conflict with Iran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers this week that 18 U.S. service members have been killed since the conflict began, while the administration has requested additional funding for ongoing operations.
