Father of Soldier Killed in Iran War Reveals What President Trump Told Him at Dover Air Force Base

Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons was one of the six crew members tragically killed when their refueling plane crashed in Iraq earlier this month.

Last week, President Trump attended a dignified transfer ceremony for the fallen soldiers at Dover Air Force Base, where he personally met with their families.

Now, the father of Tyler Simmons is speaking out about that experience.

He says that he got to see a side of President Trump that isn’t often publicized.

Charles Simmons revealed that President Trump spoke with him father-to-father, offering his condolences and thanking Tyler for his service.

“I saw emotion in the president’s face,” Simmons said, “…his humanity showed in that moment.”

Watch for yourself:

NEW: The father of Tyler Simmons, who sadly lost his life in the war against Iran, reveals what President Trump told him when they met at Dover Air Force Base.

Simmons was one of six crew members who were killed when a refueling plane crashed in Iraq.

“His humanity… pic.twitter.com/RBu34NmN7G

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 22, 2026

Backup here if needed:
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Simmons also discussed meeting Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, whom he described as a “compassionate man, faced with difficult decisions as it pertains to war.”

More from NBC News:

Simmons came away from Dover with a better impression of the war’s architects than he had when he arrived. Trump teared up and hugged him, evincing warmth and compassion at odds with the president’s public persona, Simmons said. He also credited Trump for looking him “straight in the eye.”

“He extended his condolences father to father and conveyed how difficult it is to make decisions to put the children of other parents in peril,” Simmons said.

As for Hegseth, “When I talked to him, I got the impression that he was torn because he seemed to be a very compassionate man, faced with difficult decisions as it pertains to war,” Simmons said.

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“I also let him know that Tyler was my only son. And you could see the emotion on his face. And I think those kinds of things you can’t fake,” he continued.

“I was pleasantly surprised because the perception is they [Trump and Hegseth] don’t care, they’re going to do what they want to do,” he said. “I got to see a different side of them up close and personal.”

This is the side of President Trump that the media doesn’t usually touch on.

He is a deeply caring man who truly loves the people in our country and wants to right by them.

This sums it up perfectly:

President Trump is a man for the military, but more important, a man for the people he has sworn to protect. 🙏🏻🇺🇸

— 🇺🇸 Ma𝕏’s Back Porch ☕️ (@MaxsBackPorch) March 22, 2026

Charles Simmons gave a powerful, genuine testament to President Trump’s character.

On another note, Charles seems like a truly gracious father himself…

Few would have the strength to talk about this kind of stuff so soon after losing their only son.

This is a strong man. I don’t think I would be able to talk about this openly yet.

— Manny Salazar (@SetantaADV) March 22, 2026

Rest in peace Tyler, and God Bless the Simmons family.

Please keep them and all of our Gold Star families in your prayers.