Trump Honors U.S. Troops, Interpreter Killed in Syria in Dover Ceremony/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump honored the return of two Iowa National Guardsmen and a U.S. interpreter killed in Syria during a solemn ceremony at Dover Air Force Base. He met privately with the families, joined the dignified transfer, and vowed accountability for the deadly attack. The ceremony reflects Trump’s continued focus on military service and national defense.
Trump Pays Tribute to Syria Attack Victims: Quick Looks
- Trump attended the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
- Two Iowa National Guardsmen and a U.S. interpreter were killed in Syria.
- Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard hailed as heroes.
- Ayad Mansoor Sakat, a U.S. citizen and interpreter, also died in the attack.
- Trump met with grieving families and military officials before the ceremony.
- The president expressed condolences and condemned the attack in private meetings.
- Trump vowed retaliation; Pentagon says the gunman was killed.
- The interpreter’s family immigrated from Iraq in 2007 after helping U.S. forces.
- Trump’s visit reflects his administration’s strong stance on national security.
- The attack follows renewed U.S.-Syria relations and anti-ISIS efforts.
Deep Look
Trump Honors U.S. Troops and Interpreter Killed in Syria in Dover Ceremony
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. – President Donald Trump solemnly paid his respects on Wednesday to two Iowa National Guardsmen and a U.S. civilian interpreter killed in a deadly attack in Syria. The remains of the fallen were returned to U.S. soil during a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base, where Trump met with families and joined top military officials in a display of quiet reverence.
The soldiers — Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown — were both members of the Iowa National Guard’s 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment. They were deployed in eastern Syria as part of a U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group. Their deaths have been met with an outpouring of grief and recognition from military and state leaders alike.
Also killed in the attack was Ayad Mansoor Sakat, a U.S. civilian interpreter originally from Iraq and a resident of Macomb, Michigan. Sakat had served with the U.S. military previously during the Iraq War and had continued working with U.S. forces as an independent contractor.
A Solemn Ceremony at Dover
The dignified transfer — a somber military ritual that honors the return of American service members killed in action — took place in near silence on the cold tarmac. Trump, alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Gen. Dan Caine, and other officials, stood motionless as flag-draped cases were removed from the belly of a C-17 cargo plane and transferred to waiting vehicles.
Dressed in a dark overcoat, Trump held a salute during each transfer. After the first case was placed into the van, he turned slightly to watch, his expression somber. There was no speaking, no ceremony — just the respectful silence of a nation in mourning.
Prior to the transfer, Trump met privately with the families of the fallen, including the interpreter’s children and relatives of the two guardsmen. One of the interpreter’s daughters, Dina Qiryaqoz, later described the meeting as comforting, saying Trump and Secretary Hegseth “strongly condemned the attack” and offered heartfelt gratitude for her father’s service.
“He seemed like he really cared about my dad and the other soldiers that were unfortunately killed during this attack,” she said.
Victims Remembered as Heroes
Sgt. Howard was remembered by his stepfather as someone deeply committed to military service.
“He loved what he was doing and would be the first in and last out,” said Jeffrey Bunn. Howard had dreamed of being a soldier since childhood, and his brother — also a staff sergeant — is escorting his body back to Iowa.
Sgt. Torres-Tovar was described by his fellow Guard members as a “very positive” individual who put others first and was deeply devoted to his family.
Interpreter Ayad Sakat, who came to the U.S. in 2007 under a special visa program for those who supported American forces, was working for Valiant Integrated Services, a defense contractor. He leaves behind a wife and four adult children. Born in Bakhdida, Iraq, a Christian village near Mosul, Sakat had helped U.S. troops during the 2003–2007 Iraq War and was regarded as a committed ally.
Trump Vows Response to Syria Attack
President Trump promised consequences for the attack, calling it a tragic and senseless act. The Pentagon has launched a formal investigation, and spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed that the attacker — reportedly a lone gunman — was killed during the incident.
This attack is the deadliest for U.S. personnel in nearly two years. The last time American service members were killed in action was in January 2024, when three soldiers died in a drone strike in Jordan.
The incident occurred just weeks after the U.S. re-established ties with Syria under new interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former rebel leader who replaced Bashar al-Assad. Trump has publicly supported al-Sharaa, calling him a “strong partner” in anti-ISIS operations. Trump has said that al-Sharaa was “devastated by what happened” and does not believe the Syrian leader was involved in the attack.
A Continued Tradition of Presidential Respect
This is not the first time President Trump has visited Dover to honor fallen troops. During his first term, he attended ceremonies for a U.S. Navy SEAL killed in Yemen (2017), two Army officers killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan (2019), and two soldiers killed in a green-on-blue attack in Afghanistan (2020). He has previously called these moments “the hardest part” of being president.
Wednesday’s ceremony again highlighted Trump’s emphasis on military service and patriotism, especially as he continues to emphasize national security in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections.
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