US President Donald Trump on Wednesday attended a solemn military ceremony at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to receive the remains of four American service members killed during the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The ceremony, known as a dignified transfer, saw the bodies of the fallen troops returned to the United States in flag-draped caskets, as the war continues to fuel political debate and public concern over its rising human and financial costs.
Dressed in a blue suit and red tie, Trump stood at attention on the flight line and saluted as teams of seven service members carried each transfer case from the aircraft. Family members watched nearby as the caskets were placed into waiting vehicles.
“We’re going to honor them. For me it’s one of the hardest things to do as a president. But it has to be done.”
Trump said before departing for the ceremony.
Asked what message he would deliver to the bereaved families, the president replied. “All I’m going to say is, we love you. We love your child, and that’s what they are to them. They’re their children. There’s no games, no nothing.”
The four service members were among at least 18 US troops killed since the conflict began in February.
Three of the victims First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, 25, Sergeant Angel S. Rampersad, 28, and Private Isabella Gonzales, 19 were killed on Friday when an Iranian missile struck their sleeping quarters at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. All three served in US Army air defence brigades.
The fourth casualty, Sergeant Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, died on Sunday during a controlled detonation of an attack drone in Erbil, Iraq.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that more than 500 American troops have now been injured during the conflict. However, the Pentagon said on Monday that 100 service members had been officially recorded as injured since July 7, with 96 per cent already returned to duty.
The ceremony comes as criticism of the US-Israeli war with Iran continues to grow. The conflict has reportedly cost US taxpayers at least $37.5 billion, led to the deaths of 18 American service members and claimed thousands of lives in Iran.
Lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties have questioned the direction and objectives of the war, while rising global oil prices and inflation have increased domestic political pressure on the Trump administration.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted this month, four in five Americans believe the conflict will continue for an extended period, while only 37 per cent support US military strikes against Iran.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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