The Patriot Post® · Comforter-in-Chief

By Gary Bauer ·
https://patriotpost.us/articles/129381-comforter-in-chief-2026-07-24

President Donald Trump went to Dover Air Force Base Wednesday to attend the dignified transfer of four American heroes who were killed by Iran in recent days: 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan (25); Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad (28); Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton (30); and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales (19).
 
Lt. Feehan, Sgt. Rampersad and Pvt. Gonzales were killed last Friday during an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack on a U.S. base in Jordan. Sgt. Swinton was killed Saturday during the controlled detonation of a downed Iranian attack drone at a base in Iraq.
 
Speaking briefly to reporters before he left for Dover, President Trump said, as other presidents have, “For me, it’s one of the hardest things to do as president.” But Donald Trump doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t try to make us forget the dead. He spends long periods of time at Dover Air Force Base comforting the families of our fallen military personnel.
 
While meeting with the grieving families, Trump learned that Lt. Feehan’s relatives lived in Georgia, not far from where he was holding a rally later in the day. So, he invited them to fly home with him on Air Force One, and later introduced them at the rally. The crowd honored Lt. Feehan and his family with prolonged applause.
 
Remember how Joe Biden kept looking at his watch, as if he was bored, when the bodies of the 13 American heroes killed at Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate returned home?
 
Those brave Americans died because of his incompetence, but he refused to even say their names. During Biden’s last State of the Union Address, Steve Nikoui, the father of one of the 13 fallen heroes, was dragged out of the House chamber and arrested after shouting his son’s name.
 
Every president naturally struggles with the dignified transfer process. A president like Biden just wants the memory of the dead to go away as quickly as possible. Obama chose to honor a deserter at the White House. Trump elevates our fallen heroes to remind us of the precious price of our liberty.
 
Yes, there is a difference between the parties.