Respect vs. distraction: Trump honors heroes’ return after Biden checked his watch during ceremony

In stark contrast to his predecessor, President Donald Trump on Wednesday stood solemnly at Dover Air Force Base alongside grieving families to receive the flag-draped remains of two American service members. In what many consider to be one of the most important and revealing duties of a president, Trump has made it a point to honor the return of service members killed in action, traveling to Dover multiple times across his terms. 

By comparison, many Americans were outraged during former President Joe Biden's term when he infamously appeared to repeatedly check the time on his wristwatch during one such dignified transfer. During that transfer, Biden famously showed up for the 13 service members killed in the shambolic 2021 Kabul airport bombing, only to be widely criticized by Gold Star families for repeatedly checking his watch during the solemn proceedings as the caskets passed, appearing distracted amid their profound grief. 

By the numbers, Trump attended four dignified transfers during his first term and four, including Wednesday's, in his second term. Biden attended two during his one term in office, once in August 2021 and again in February 2024, though military casualties occurred throughout Biden's term due to operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan as well as training accidents. 

Going beyond normal duty

After the repatriation of the remains, Trump invited the family of 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan to fly with him aboard Air Force One to Georgia, where the family has ties and where Trump was heading for an event at a school in Marietta to promote his administration’s affordability and education initiatives. 

Neither Biden nor Trump served in the military. During the Vietnam War era, Biden received five student draft deferments to complete his undergraduate and law studies. He was subsequently medically disqualified from service due to a history of teenage asthma. Trump received five draft deferments during the Vietnam War: four for college education and one medical exemption in 1968 for bone spurs in his heels, which exempted him from the draft, according to Business Insider. The outlet disclosed that many well-off or politically connected families were able to game the rules.

Feehan, who was 25 years old and was from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, will be posthumously promoted to captain and awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge. In addition to Feehan, the remains of Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of North Carolina, Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of New York (Ozone Park), and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, were also transferred in the respectful ceremony.

The proof is in the policy

During his first term, Trump advanced several key initiatives for veterans, most notably signing the VA MISSION Act, which dramatically expanded vets' ability to access timely private-sector care when Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities fell short, alongside the VA Accountability Act to improve oversight and remove underperforming employees.

His administration also implemented the Forever GI Bill for more flexible education benefits, eliminated federal student loan debt for totally and permanently disabled veterans, and oversaw a significant drop in veteran homelessness. 

In contrast, the Biden administration’s signature achievement was the PACT Act, a major expansion of benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances. However, the VA claims backlogs rose notably during that period before declining sharply under Trump’s current leadership. 

While both presidents supported veterans in tangible ways, Trump’s emphasis on choice, accountability, and efficiency often stood out as a pragmatic counter to bureaucratic delays.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Amanda Head is White House Correspondent for Just The News. You can follow her here.