'No, I didn’t': Father of airman killed in Iran war denies telling Pete Hegseth to 'finish the job'
WASHINGTON, DC: A father of a service member killed in the Iran war says he never told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “finish the job,” contradicting his claims. Hegseth met privately on Wednesday, March 18, with families of six fallen service members and later told reporters that the families had urged him to honor their loved ones’ sacrifices and see the mission through.
Tyler H Simmons’ father shares a different account of his conversation with Pete Hegseth
Charles Simmons, one of the parents Hegseth met at Dover Air Force Base, shared a different account of their conversation, as per NBC News. His 28-year-old son, Tech Sgt Tyler H Simmons, was among six crew members killed when their refueling plane crashed in Iraq on March 12.
Simmons said they did not talk about continuing the war. “I can’t speak for the other families. When he spoke to me, that was not something we talked about,” he told NBC News on Thursday.
He added that he also met President Donald Trump and appreciated the kindness both men showed. Most of his conversation with Hegseth focused on his son, his service, achievements, and rapid progress in the military.
"I understand there’s a lot of peril that goes into making decisions like this, and I just certainly hope the decisions being made are necessary,” he added.
When asked if he urged leaders to keep fighting, he replied, “No, I didn’t say anything like that.”
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote in a statement, “Secretary Hegseth has the utmost respect for our Gold Star families and has pledged to honor the sacrifice of their loved ones. While at Dover, the Secretary spoke with each family of our fallen heroes and the details of each individual conversation remain private.”
Hegseth's recent "finish the job" remark echoes comments made by Trump after he met families at Dover Air Force Base on March 7 during a ceremony known as a “dignified transfer,” where the remains of fallen service members are returned in flag-draped caskets. Families can choose to meet senior leaders, including the president, during this time.
Two days later, the POTUS told reporters that the families were “unbelievable people” and claimed that each of them urged him to “finish the job.”
Tyler H Simmons’ father says Trump showed genuine emotion during meeting
Simmons shared his personal experience of meeting with Trump and Hegseth.
He said Trump showed genuine emotion, even tearing up and hugging him, and appreciated that Trump looked him in the eye and offered condolences “father to father,” acknowledging how difficult it is to send others’ children into danger.
About Hegseth, Simmons said, "When I talked to him, I got the impression that he was torn because he seemed to be a very compassionate man, faced with difficult decisions as it pertains to war."
Overall, Simmons said the experience changed his view. He had expected the leaders to be distant, but instead felt they showed care and humanity in person.
"I also let him know that Tyler was my only son. And you could see the emotion on his face. And I think those kinds of things you can’t fake. I was pleasantly surprised because the perception is they [Trump and Hegseth] don’t care, they’re going to do what they want to do. I got to see a different side of them up close and personal,” he added.
