President Donald Trump’s decision to wear a baseball hat during Saturday’s dignified transfer ceremony for six fallen service members has ignited a firestorm of criticism from political figures, veterans, and military etiquette experts.
Donald Trump wears white hat during major ceremony, faces backlash
The 79-year-old president stood alongside Vice President JD Vance as six flag-draped transfer cases were carried from an aircraft at Delaware’s Dover Air Force Base. While the moment called for solemn reflection, Donald Trump’s accessory choice, aka a gold-embroidered white hat featuring “USA” on the front and “45-47” on the side, got immediate attention and backlash.
The hat, which retails for $55 on Donald Trump’s merchandise website, broke with longstanding tradition for such ceremonies. Based on publicly available images, no previous U.S. president has worn a baseball cap during a dignified transfer ceremony. California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote, “TAKE OFF THAT HAT AND SHOW SOME DAMN RESPECT,” by sharing a video.
Former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele echoed the sentiment on X: “This fool has ABSOLUTELY no sense of dignity or appreciation for the moment. It is called the Dignified Transfer for a reason. Take your damn hat off!!”
The ceremony honored six Army service members from the 103rd Sustainment Command who were killed by an Iranian strike in Kuwait on March 1. They were Capt. Cody A. Khork, Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, Sgt. Declan J. Coady, Major Jeffrey R. O’Brien, 45, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan.
Military custom regarding headwear during such events is clear. Guidance from the Veterans of Foreign Wars states that for military funerals, “it is appropriate (and a visible sign of respect) to remove the hat or headdress and place it over your heart.” While a dignified transfer differs from a funeral, removing hats as a sign of respect remains a common American custom. It is observed even during the national anthem at baseball games.
The White House hasn’t yet commented on the criticism.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.com.
