President Donald Trump joined the families of six US soldiers killed in a drone strike in Kuwait during a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base on Saturday. The ritual, one of the most sombre duties of a commander-in-chief, saw the president wearing a Trump-branded 'USA' golf cap. Cellphones were prohibited throughout the event.
The soldiers, all members of the Army Reserve's 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines, Iowa, were killed earlier this week at a command centre in Kuwait. They died one day after the US and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran. The fallen service members were identified as Sergeant First Class Nicole Amor, 39; Captain Cody Khork, 35; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54; Major Jeffrey O'Brien, 45; Sergeant First Class Noah Tietjens, 42; and Sergeant Declan Coady, 20, who was posthumously promoted from specialist.
Speaking earlier in Miami at a summit of Latin American leaders, Trump called the soldiers heroes 'coming home in a different manner than they thought they'd be coming home'. He described it as 'a very sad situation' and pledged to keep American war deaths 'to a minimum'. Vice-President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi were among the cabinet members present at Dover.
Families shared tributes to their loved ones. Joey Amor, husband of Sergeant First Class Amor, said she had been due to return home within days. 'You don't go to Kuwait thinking something's going to happen, and for her to be one of the first – it hurts,' he said. Andrew Coady, father of Sergeant Coady, described his son as 'one of the most kindest people you would ever meet'. Elizabeth Marzan, sister of Chief Warrant Officer Marzan, called him a 'strong leader' and loving husband, father and brother.
The dignified transfer involves flag-draped transfer cases being carried from the military aircraft to a vehicle bound for the base's mortuary facility. Trump previously attended a similar ceremony in December for two Iowa National Guard members and a US civilian interpreter.
