President Donald Trump visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Tuesday, May 26, for a routine checkup but did not meet any of the 14 troops recovering there from wounds suffered in the Iran conflict, according to two people familiar with the visit.
The White House confirmed Trump spoke with service members and hospital staff during the six-month exam, but officials did not say why he skipped the wounded from Operation Epic Fury, the U.S.-led military campaign against Iran that started in March.
CBS News reported on May 27 that a White House official said only that “President Trump was honored to meet with our amazing service members and medical staff while at Walter Reed.”
The spokesperson declined to answer repeated questions about the injured troops.
One of those still at the hospital is Sgt. Cory Hicks, who was left injured in March, after an Iranian drone struck his Army base in Kuwait during the first day of fighting.
The attack killed six American soldiers and wounded more than 20 others. Hicks suffered a lacerated kidney, a severed spleen, and a traumatic brain injury.
“I’ve come a long way, that’s for sure,” Hicks told a Minnesota TV station last month. “I spent 19 years in the military so far, and I love serving my country, but this recovery is a different battle.”
Troops Injured in Iran Conflict Remain Hospitalized
Hicks described the heavy mental weight he carries since that attack. Six of his fellow soldiers died close to where he stood. “I lost six of my battle buddies,” he said. “The invisible wounds are hard to heal.”
Six soldiers from the Kuwait attack remain at Walter Reed. The total number of U.S. troops injured in the Iran operation stands at 409, according to the Defense Department.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress last month that about 90 percent have returned to duty.
The day before his hospital visit, Trump spoke at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day.
Also Read: Trump Completes Physical Exam at Walter Reed, Claims ‘Perfect’ Results
He paid tribute to the 13 service members who died in the conflict, calling them “wonderful souls” who gave their lives to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
On Wednesday, during a Cabinet meeting, Trump again referred to the fallen as “great people.” He added, “We want to lose very few; we want very few to be injured. We’re very careful, but war is war. War is dangerous.”
Trump also attended the dignified transfers for the six soldiers killed in Kuwait and six others who died in a refueling accident over Iraq.
Presidents have long made a point of visiting troops wounded in action. During his first term, Trump went to the hospital to present a Purple Heart to a soldier wounded in Afghanistan.
Families Expected Trump to Visit the Recovery Unit
This time, the families of some of the injured troops noticed the president’s choice.
One family member, who asked not to be named, said they expected Trump to stop by the recovery unit since the hospital already had him on site.
The omission stands out because Trump has spoken often about the troops. He has pushed back against past criticism of his comments on wounded service members.
In 2020, after an Iranian missile attack on a U.S. base in Iraq, he described some brain injuries as “headaches” that were “not very serious.”
Also Read: U.S. and Iran Finally Agree
A later investigation found that dozens of troops with traumatic brain injuries faced delays or denials for Purple Hearts.
The current war with Iran began after months of mounting tensions. Trump ordered strikes aimed at destroying Iran’s nuclear program sites.
U.S. officials said the operation was necessary to prevent Tehran from building atomic weapons. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on American bases across the region.
Thirteen Americans have died so far. Hundreds more have been hurt, many by drones and missiles that got past defenses in the opening days.
Trump has not commented directly on the decision not to visit the 14 wounded troops at the medical center.
