White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was questioned Tuesday about President Donald Trump’s decision to not attend the dignified transfer of the remains of four U.S. soldiers who died during a training exercise in Lithuania.
“Can you explain why the president opted to send [Defense] Secretary Hegseth to the dignified transfer last week instead of attending himself?” a reporter asked Leavitt at the White House press briefing.
Thousands of spectators gathered Thursday in Lithuania to honor the American service members and send their remains back to the U.S. for burial. The tribute was attended by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, government officials, religious leaders, and military personnel. The bodies were received at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Friday by members of the U.S. military and several senators, as well as Hegseth, who was sent in the president’s stead.
“Secretary Hegseth was there to represent the administration,” the press secretary told the reporter Tuesday. “The president has expressed his condolences to these families, as have I, from this podium.”
Trump instead was in Florida, where he attended a tournament for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour at his Doral resort, before he traveled to his Palm Beach club for fundraising events.
Critics also questioned Trump’s decision to engage in a glitzy weekend that benefited his family’s wallet as the country panicked over tumbling stock markets caused by the president’s tariffs.
