President Donald Trump couldn’t give a clear answer on whether he’d commemorate the American servicemembers killed in his surprise war against Iran.
When asked by the Daily Mail on Sunday whether he would appear at the dignified transfer of remains at the Dover Air Force Base in Delaware or invite the families of the three U.S. soldiers killed during “Operation Epic Fury” to the White House, the 79-year-old self-described “Peace President” said, “Maybe.”
The president told the outlet that his people had been in touch with the families of the three servicemembers who were reported dead by the U.S. Central Command on Sunday morning, and said that he would “be meeting with their families at the appropriate time.”
“They’re great people, and, you know, we expect that to happen, unfortunately,” Trump, who received five draft deferments throughout the Vietnam War, said. “It could happen again.”
Trump attended a dignified transfer of remains at the Dover Air Force Base in December 2025 after two Iowa National Guard members, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard and Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, and an American civilian interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat, were killed in Syria.
The president said in a video statement on Sunday that “there will likely be more” American military personnel killed before the war ends.
“That’s the way it is,” he added. “But we’ll do everything possible where that won’t be the case.”
“America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against, basically, civilization.”
Since the U.S. and Israeli joint aerial offensive against Iran that began early on Saturday, U.S. Central Command announced that three American servicemembers had been killed and that five were seriously wounded in the military operation.
“Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions — and are in the process of being returned to duty,” the defense force said in a statement shared on X. “Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the Saturday strikes along with several other senior Iranian officials, including the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Minister of Defense.
Trump shared a potential timeline for the war with the Daily Mail, saying that the fighting could continue over the next four weeks.
“It’s always been a four-week process,” he told the outlet. “We figured it will be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four-week process, so as strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks—or less.”
The White House did not immediately return a request for comment.
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