‘Go get 'em’: Mother of Captain Cody Khork urged Trump to continue Iran war after son’s death
WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA: More than a month after losing her son in the US war with Iran, Donna Burhans has found ways to cope with the grief while holding firm to her belief in the mission that took his life.
Burhans’ son, Army Reserve Captain Cody Khork, was among 13 Americans who died early in the conflict, which has since paused amid ongoing negotiations. Despite the loss, she said she urged President Donald Trump to continue the war effort when they met following her son’s death.
Mother backs war effort
Khork, 35, died on March 1 when a drone struck a port in Kuwait, killing him and five other Army reservists. He was later posthumously promoted to major. According to his mother, Khork had long aspired to serve in the military, growing up on bases where his father, a Marine, was stationed.
“He’s always been around the uniformed people, so he just loved it from an early age,” Burhans told NBC. “I love that the Army gave him a chance to do what he loves to do.”
Khork had served in multiple international postings, including Poland, Saudi Arabia and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He hoped to eventually work at the Pentagon and is survived by his fiancée.
Burhans said she met Trump during a dignified transfer ceremony in Dover, Delaware, where the remains of fallen service members were returned to the US. During that meeting, she made her stance clear.
“I told him to finish it," she said. "I said, ‘Go get 'em.’ This is what my son signed up for.”
Grief and faith guide her
Back home in Winter Haven, Burhans has turned to routine and faith to manage her grief. She spends time outdoors on her 35-acre farm, walking and tending to animals while speaking aloud about her son.
“They’re good listeners,” she said. “They sit there, and I start talking to Cody, or I start talking about him. He was a hero. I’m so proud of him. It just helps.”
She said she does not blame Trump for her son’s death and expressed trust in both the president and her faith.
“Trump knows what he’s doing. He knows exactly what he’s doing, and he’s doing everything the way it’s supposed to be done,” Burhans said. “I have my trust in him and God.”
Burhans also recalled Trump’s demeanor during their meeting, describing him as empathetic.
“You could tell when he walked into the room that he was distraught,” she said. “He had his head down. And he was just a normal, caring person. He wasn’t the president when he walked into the room. He was just there to tell us how sorry he was.”
As debates continue in Washington over the war and its consequences, Burhans remains resolute in her belief that her son’s sacrifice was meaningful.
