Trump says fallen U.S. soldiers backed his Iran war to prevent Iran’s nuclear weapon

President Donald Trump spoke out on behalf of the US soldiers killed during his ongoing war with Iran, telling reporters that they voiced support for the attacks, saying we “cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”Eighteen American service members have been killed since Trump and Israel launched their war against Iran on February 28. “They are indeed great heroes, actually. They said, and they, all of them said very strongly, ‘We can’t let, cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon,’” he told reporters before departing to attend a ceremony for four service members recently killed overseas.“So we’re going to honour them. And one of the hardest things to do for me, it’s one of the hardest things for me to do as president, but it has to be done,” he said.President Donald Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One en route to Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday that the U.S. service members killed overseas supported his ongoing war with Iran.Trump went on to defend the now months-long attacks that have cost U.S. taxpayers at least $37.5 billion so far, while disputing polls that have shown growing public opposition.“Nobody wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” he argued.Trump’s comments came shortly before he presided over the dignified transfer of four soldiers’ remains from a military aircraft at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Some of the service members’ families were seen by a press pool attending the transfer, and were expected to meet privately with Trump beforehand, a White House official said.The remains included two US Army soldiers who were killed in Iranian missile and drone attacks in Jordan last week. They have been identified as Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas.The remains of a third service member believed to have gone missing after those attacks in Jordan were also returned. That soldier was identified as 28-year-old Angel S. Rampersad, of Ozone Park, New York. The fourth soldier, 30-year-old Michael Emmanuel Swinton of Spring Lake, North Carolina, was killed on Sunday during a controlled detonation at a military base in Iraq, the Pentagon said.

President Donald Trump spoke out on behalf of the US soldiers killed during his ongoing war with Iran, telling reporters that they voiced support for the attacks, saying we “cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”Eighteen American service members have been killed since Trump and Israel launched their war against Iran on February 28. “They are indeed great heroes, actually. They said, and they, all of them said very strongly, ‘We can’t let, cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon,’” he told reporters before departing to attend a ceremony for four service members recently killed overseas.“So we’re going to honour them. And one of the hardest things to do for me, it’s one of the hardest things for me to do as president, but it has to be done,” he said.President Donald Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One en route to Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday that the U.S. service members killed overseas supported his ongoing war with Iran.Trump went on to defend the now months-long attacks that have cost U.S. taxpayers at least $37.5 billion so far, while disputing polls that have shown growing public opposition.“Nobody wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” he argued.Trump’s comments came shortly before he presided over the dignified transfer of four soldiers’ remains from a military aircraft at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Some of the service members’ families were seen by a press pool attending the transfer, and were expected to meet privately with Trump beforehand, a White House official said.The remains included two US Army soldiers who were killed in Iranian missile and drone attacks in Jordan last week. They have been identified as Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas.The remains of a third service member believed to have gone missing after those attacks in Jordan were also returned. That soldier was identified as 28-year-old Angel S. Rampersad, of Ozone Park, New York. The fourth soldier, 30-year-old Michael Emmanuel Swinton of Spring Lake, North Carolina, was killed on Sunday during a controlled detonation at a military base in Iraq, the Pentagon said.

President Trump tried to claim Wednesday that U.S. soldiers killed in the Iran war all agreed with his stated mission.Trump made the remarks as he was about to board Air Force One and head to Dover Air Force Base for a dignified transfer ceremony to honor the remains of four soldiers killed in the Iran war over the last week.“Some of you are going with us to honor our heroes, and they are indeed great heroes actually. All of them said very strongly, ‘We can’t let, we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.’ They won’t have a nuclear weapon. So we’re going to honor them,” Trump said.Trump on fallen US troops: "All of them said very strongly, 'We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.'" pic.twitter.com/q4VklRCFsx— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 22, 2026It makes sense for a president to say that the deaths of U.S. troops are not in vain. However, saying that they all proudly spoke in favor of the war is another story. Military service compels troops to follow orders and deploy wherever they are told, regardless of their personal opinion.Iran has responded to U.S. and Israeli strikes on its territory with missile strikes across the Middle East, including on Israel, oil infrastructure in the Middle East, international business targets, and U.S. military bases. That has put U.S. troops on the front lines of the war, and so far, at least 18 American soldiers have been killed since hostilities began in February, with more than 500 wounded.Some soldiers have accused the U.S. government of downplaying injuries from the war, and even lying about the nature of some of the strikes. For Trump to claim that soldiers who are no longer alive were in full agreement with his war is astounding, and insulting to their memories. Trump has no idea how the fallen soldiers felt about the war or if they agreed with it, and the opinions of U.S. troops are as diverse as those of any other group of Americans. The soldiers honored in Dover Wednesday were simply doing their duty and following orders.