Golf over duty: Trump skips soldiers' farewell in Lithuania
President Donald Trump declined to participate in the ceremony welcoming the bodies of American soldiers who tragically died in Lithuania. The politician decided that a golf tournament was more important.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, government representatives, religious leaders, military personnel, and thousands of spectators gathered on Thursday to bid farewell to four American soldiers who died during military exercises. Their bodies arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Friday, where they were received by several senators and military personnel.
However, President Donald Trump did not attend the ceremony as he chose to take part in a Saudi Arabia-supported golf tournament at his resort in Doral, Florida.
Golf tournament more important. Trump will not bid farewell to the deceased soldiers
In place of the president, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth attended the ceremony. According to information provided by Punchbowl News, Senators Dick Durbin, Tammy Duckworth, and Chris Coons also took part in the event.
Staff Sergeant Jose Duenez Jr., Staff Sergeant Edvin Franco, Private First Class Dante Taitano, and Staff Sergeant Troy Knutson-Collins, all from the 1st Armoured Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division, died at the end of March when their vehicle sank in a bog during an attempt to recover another vehicle that had broken down.
Earlier, during a press conference at the White House, Trump stated that he had not been informed of the soldiers' disappearance, even though the army had announced their search.
Emotional farewell
During the moving farewell ceremony, President Nausėda said, "For us, it is more than a duty, it is an emotion. We have experienced trials in our history and therefore we understand well what loss is, what death is, what honourable duty is." Lithuanian media report that the country is considering awarding posthumous state honours to the deceased soldiers.
Although Republicans often stress the importance of honour and respect for the American military, including the fallen and their families, they remain almost silent on Trump's decision to skip the ceremony.
It is worth remembering that in the past, the GOP criticised former President Barack Obama for saluting marines with a coffee cup in hand and former President Joe Biden for looking at his watch during the reception of the bodies of soldiers who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
The deceased soldiers are not the only ones overlooked by the president, who spends time with wealthy LIV investors. International markets are experiencing downturns due to concerns about the economic consequences of tariffs imposed by Trump. Saudi Arabia, with which the Trump family has several business agreements, faced only minimal penalties, receiving merely a 10 per cent penalty.
