President Donald Trump made an unannounced trip on Wednesday afternoon with his daughter, Ivanka Trump, to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to attend the arrival of the remains of Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens. Owens' family, along with Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), also travelled to the Air Force Base.
Owens, a member of the Navy SEAL Team 6, died during a raid that targeted an al-Qaida base in Yemen. He is from Peoria, Illinois.
An estimated 14 militants died in the raid.
Pres Trump and Ivanka walked from the Oval Office to board Marine One for the flight to Dover AFB, site of the US military mortuary. pic.twitter.com/uHYVVo9uSh
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) February 1, 2017
The secretary of defense issued a statement on Owens' death Monday, saying, "Ryan gave his full measure for our nation, and in performing his duty, he upheld the noblest standard of military service. The United States would not long exist were it not for the selfless commitment of such warriors."
The raid in Yemen was the first disclosed counterterrorism raid conducted under the TrumpAdministration. According to Press Secretary Sean Spicer, this was Owens' twelfth deployment.
During Tuesday's press briefing, Spicer, a Navy reservist, said, "We could never repay the debt of gratitude we owe him, the freedom that he fought for, and the sacrifice that he made, as well as the other members of his unit who were injured in this operation."
At the behest of the family, no press was allowed to cover the arrival of Owens' remains.
