The Pentagon has denied claims that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was chewing gum during a dignified transfer ceremony for six fallen service members at Dover Air Force Base. The denial came after a reporter from The Daily Beast observed Hegseth chewing as he arrived at the ceremony on Wednesday.
The ceremony honoured six crew members who died in a KC-135 refueling plane crash over Iraqi airspace last week. The victims were identified as Major John A. Klinner, Captain Ariana G. Savino, Tech Sergeant Ashley B. Pruitt, Captain Seth R. Koval, Captain Curtis J. Angst, and Tech Sergeant Tyler H. Simmons. Officials confirmed the crash was not due to hostile or friendly fire, and an investigation is ongoing.
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto Nisperos, who knew one of the victims, paid tribute to the fallen, stating, 'Every person on that aircraft carried a weight most Americans will never see, and they carried it with professionalism, courage, and a level of quiet excellence.' The ceremony was closed to the media at the request of the families, though the White House later published photos on social media.
The incident adds to criticism of the Trump administration's handling of military honours. Earlier this month, the president faced backlash for wearing a 'USA' baseball cap at a similar ceremony for soldiers killed in a drone attack in Kuwait. Fox News also drew criticism for inadvertently airing old footage of Trump at a different ceremony during coverage of the event.
Overall, 13 U.S. service members have died in the Iran conflict, with around 200 injured. The administration is facing growing opposition to the war, including the resignation of National Counterterrorism Center director Joe Kent, who stated Iran posed no 'imminent threat' to the U.S. Meanwhile, the USS Gerald R Ford has set sail for repairs after mechanical issues, including a fire.
