Donald Trump slammed for missing dignified transfer of 4 dead US soldiers for golf event

has been criticised for his absence during the dignified transfer of four U.S. soldiers who tragically lost their lives in a training accident in Lithuania. Instead, he was spotted playing golf at his Trump National Doral Miami golf course for a LIV Golf event.

A ceremony was held by s president to honour the fallen soldiers who perished after their tactical vehicle disappeared in a peat bog approximately a week ago. Lithuanian, and U.S. soldiers, along with rescue teams, conducted extensive searches through forests and swamps at the Gen. Silvestras Zukauskas training ground in Pabrade, located roughly 6 miles west of the border with Belarus.

The M88 Hercules armoured vehicle was eventually retrieved from the bog on Monday, with the final body recovered the following day. On Thursday, leaders from across the Baltic nation - both political and religious - joined thousands of citizens to pay their respects to the four American soldiers who died during the training exercise.

President Gitanas Nauseda and other dignitaries were among those who stood in respect as the hearses carrying the bodies paraded past en route to Vilnius airport in the capital. The soldiers' remains were then flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where they will be laid to rest this week.

The procession reportedly moved many onlookers to tears. Nauseda noted that the public and military response to the soldiers' disappearance was deeply rooted in the country's own challenging history, reports

"For us, it is more than a duty - it is an emotion. We have experienced trials in our history, and therefore, we understand well what loss is, what death is, what honorable duty is," he expressed in an impassioned speech to the assembly, which included educators and children proudly waving Lithuanian and U.S. flags to pay tribute to the soldiers, whose loss occurred in a region shrouded with trepidation over Russian expansionism, given its closeness to

Meanwhile, U.S. President Trump missed the solemn return of the fallen service members at Dover Air Force Base as he attended a LIV Golf event at his golf course in Florida, drawing sharp criticism from social media denizens incensed by his absence.

Social media erupted with criticism of Trump's decision to prioritize a golfer's gathering over greeting the troops' arrival-a duty traditionally observed by a commander-in-chief and certainly expected by Trump's forerunner, former Adding salt to the wound, it was revealed that just a week earlier Trump had feigned ignorance about the soldiers' plight, claiming to journalists he had not been briefed on their status.

"A man's gotta have a code. Trump's code is that the Saudis are paying him millions to host the golf tournament, so that's where he is," blasted Ron Filipkowski, MeidasTouch. com's editor-in-chief and staunch Trump critic, as he lamented the situation on [specific platform] showcasing an NBC News live blog screenshot that depicted Trump's controversial choice.

One user, @BernardMalmamud, expressed his frustration under a video from a Lithuanian politician showing support for the fallen soldiers, stating: "Imagine a foreign country honouring four dead American soldiers - unlike Trump who says he doesn't know anything about it ... loser POTUS."

Another user, @AaronPe78166320, criticised Trump's priorities in a tweet featuring a political advertisement video of him signing an executive order to implement tariffs on various nations worldwide, including Lithuania, a member of the European Union. The user commented: "Four of our dead Soldiers will be flying in to Dover this weekend. But you gotta golf,".

The deceased soldiers were part of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, and lost their lives during a tactical mission related to NATO operations in the region.

The U.S. Army identified them as:

• Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, 28, of Battle Creek, Michigan
• Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr. , 25, of Joliet, Illinois
• Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California
• Pfc. Dante D.Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam.

These soldiers were among the 3,500 from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team deployed in January to Poland and other Baltic states for a nine-month rotation as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. This operation supports NATO allies and partners following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.