Trump on more dignified transfers of US service members killed: ‘It’s a part of war, isn’t it?’
DOVER, DELAWARE: President Donald Trump on Saturday, March 7, said attending dignified transfer proceedings for fallen American service members is a “part of war.”
Trump made the remark after taking part in the ceremony for six US personnel who died in Kuwait following the start of the US–Israeli conflict with Iran. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump addressed reporters about the loss of the troops and the ongoing military operations.
Trump attends dignified transfer for fallen US service members
A reporter asked Trump on Air Force One whether he expected to attend more dignified transfer proceedings in the future. Trump responded, “Sure, I hate to. But it’s a part of war, isn’t it?”
He then asked the reporter whether they also believed it was part of war, and the reporter agreed. “It’s a sad part of it,” Trump added. “It’s the bad part of it.” Trump attended the proceedings for Sgt. Nicole Amor, Capt. Cody Khork, Sgt. Noah Tietjens, Sgt. Declan Coady, Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, and Chief Warrant Officer Three Robert M. Marzan.
Speaking further about the conflict, Trump praised the US military operation in Iran, stating that the United States was “winning the war, by a lot.”
He said, “We’ve accomplished more in one week than anyone thought possible. We wiped out their navy, 44 ships. We’ve wiped out their air force, every plane. We wiped out most of their missiles. You see the missiles aren’t coming much anymore."
Trump continued, "We’ve also hit their manufacturing areas, where they make the missiles, very hard. Their drone capacity is way down. And we’ve hurt them where it hurts, including about every form of leadership you can have with, we’ve wiped out.”
He added later, saying the Iranian military “is almost nonexistent.” When asked whether he was concerned about rising gas prices due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the conflict, Trump replied, “No. This is a short excursion into something that should have been done for 47 years, Forty-seven years it’s taken to do this, and no president had the guts to go it.”
Iran responds and Trump meets Latin American leaders on cartel threat
The conflict has resulted in significant casualties. The Human Rights Activists News Agency reported 1,205 civilian deaths since the start of the fighting, including 194 children, as of Saturday. The nonprofit also recorded 187 military deaths and 283 deaths not yet classified as either civilian or military casualties.
Strikes last week also resulted in the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who had ruled for 37 years. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned of retaliation if the conflict escalates.
Writing on the social platform X, he said an escalation would be “precisely what our Powerful Armed Forces have long been prepared for, and what he will get,” referring to Trump. “Responsibility for any intensification of Iran’s exercise in self-defense will lie squarely with the US administration,” Araghchi said.
Before traveling to Dover airport, Trump held a meeting in Miami with Latin American leaders. During the gathering, he said the US and regional partners were working together to confront violent criminal networks.
Trump told leaders assembled at his Miami-area golf club that Latin American countries will be working together with the US to combat violent cartels. He encouraged the regional leaders to take military action against d*ug trafficking cartels and transnational gangs, which he described as an “unacceptable threat” to national security across the hemisphere.
During the event, Trump also signed a proclamation committing to countering cartel criminal activity at the Shield of the Americas Summit.
