President Donald Trump delivered an emotional tribute to Army 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia, on Wednesday.
Earlier that day, Trump met Feehan’s parents, Shari and Stephen, and his uncle David at Dover Air Force Base and offered them a ride on Air Force One, which they accepted.
The family sat among the audience as Trump recounted the gesture, noting their heartbreak and gratitude for the experience.
Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, was one of four service members killed in Jordan while supporting a U.S. mission; he served with the 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command at Fort Bragg.
Private Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, was also among those killed.
Trump said he reviews biographies of fallen service members before each dignified transfer and described Feehan as an exceptional young officer on a fast track to become a general.
He thanked the Feehan family for attending, noting that he had gotten to know them during the flight from Dover to Georgia.
Calling dignified transfers the most difficult responsibility of the presidency, Trump affirmed that Lieutenant Feehan’s memory would remain with him and his administration.
The audience responded with sustained applause as Trump addressed Feehan’s mother directly, saying the fallen soldier was looking down and proud.
