President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he will travel to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to attend a dignified transfer of U.S. service members killed in the ongoing conflict in Iran.
"Heading to Dover Air Force Base to HONOR OUR HEROES!" Trump posted to his social media platform. He told reporters before boarding Air Force One that the ceremony is "one of the hardest things to do as a president but it has to be done."
Trump also defended the war, stating that all of the fallen soldiers had "said very strongly" that "we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon." When asked what he would say to the families of the deceased, he said, "All I'm going to say is, we love you. We love your child."
The ceremony marks the third dignified transfer Trump has attended since the U.S. war in Iran began. The Pentagon identified Army Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York, as the third service member believed to have been killed in action during a strike on a U.S. base in Jordan. Pfc. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, and 1st Lt. Tyler Feehan of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, also died in the Iranian attack on the base in Jordan.
Separately, Army Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, died Sunday following a controlled detonation of a downed Iranian attack drone at Erbil Air Base in Iraq. The Army confirmed his death.
Since the war in Iran began in late February, at least 18 U.S. soldiers have been killed and approximately 500 wounded, according to the Department of Defense. Fighting has intensified following the breakdown of a ceasefire reached in mid-June between the U.S. and Iran, resulting in 11 consecutive nights of strikes.