President Donald Trump is under fire once again—this time for opting to hit the golf course instead of honoring four fallen U.S. soldiers at a solemn ceremony in Delaware.
Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a retired Navy combat pilot and a Democratic voice with strong ties to the military community, minced no words on Friday when he appeared on The Rachel Maddow Show. Visibly disturbed by Trump’s decision to skip the dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base, Kelly didn’t just criticize Trump—he laid into the entire MAGA machine enabling him.
“This is a moment where leadership matters,” Kelly said. “You don’t get to say you support the troops and then disappear when they come home in flag-draped coffins.”
The four U.S. service members were recently killed in Lithuania, and their return to American soil was marked by a somber ceremony at Dover, where presidents and commanders-in-chief have traditionally shown up to pay respects. It’s a deeply emotional ritual, one that reflects the gravity of sacrifice and national loss. But instead of attending, Trump was photographed enjoying himself at a Florida golf tournament.
Kelly, a former NASA astronaut who served in combat, said the message Trump sent was clear—and it wasn’t one of patriotism.
“When you put golf over grief, over duty, over decency—it tells you exactly who this man is,” he added, visibly frustrated. “And it tells our military families exactly where they stand in his list of priorities.”
The backlash has been swift, especially among veterans and military families who viewed the dignified transfer as a sacred moment that transcends politics. Social media lit up with criticism, with many pointing to Trump’s history of controversial statements about the military—most infamously his alleged remarks calling fallen soldiers “suckers” and “losers,” a claim he has denied but that continues to haunt him politically.
Kelly’s remarks cut deeper than just this one incident. He linked Trump’s absence to a broader pattern of behavior: “He praises dictators, he undermines alliances, he turns his back on the men and women who defend this country. This is not new. It’s who he is.”
While Trump’s supporters brushed off the criticism as partisan noise, others in the political arena—on both sides—are struggling to justify the optics. The former president’s decision not only drew ire from Democrats but also quiet discomfort from a few conservatives who privately acknowledged that skipping such a meaningful military event could cost him with key voter blocs, especially veterans and active-duty families.
Trump has long tried to frame himself as a champion of the military, but this latest misstep threatens to erode whatever goodwill remains. During his presidency, he made headlines for controversial comments and actions involving the armed forces: from avoiding military service himself due to bone spurs, to clashing with Gold Star families, to feuding with high-ranking military officials.
Kelly, speaking not just as a senator but as someone who’s worn the uniform, underscored the weight of those losses. “This isn’t about politics,” he said. “This is about character. You don’t honor our troops with words at rallies—you honor them with presence, with respect, and with action.”
The Arizona senator’s scathing remarks reflect a growing concern within the Democratic Party and among moderate voters who fear that Trump’s behavior—if unchecked—could damage the country’s moral standing and relationships with its own military community.
Veterans’ groups have also begun speaking out, with some issuing statements calling the move “deeply disrespectful” and “disgraceful.” For many families of those serving overseas, these ceremonies are not just protocol—they’re deeply personal, often the last memory they’ll have of their loved ones being honored as heroes.
Online, critics didn’t hold back. Hashtags like #GolfOverDuty and #NoShowTrump began trending on X (formerly Twitter), while opinion columns began circulating with pointed titles asking what kind of leader puts personal leisure above solemn national duty.
Kelly, whose background gives him a unique platform to speak on these issues, ended his interview with a call to action: “Americans need to remember this moment. Leadership isn’t about photo ops and golf tournaments. It’s about standing up, showing up, and doing the right thing—especially when it’s hard.”
For a party still navigating post-Trump chaos and trying to reclaim the moral high ground, moments like this offer clear contrasts. And for the millions watching, it’s not just about Trump skipping a ceremony—it’s about what that decision reveals.
