Fox News issued an apology Sunday after mistakenly airing archival footage during coverage of a solemn dignified transfer ceremony honoring six U.S. service members killed in Iran. The error, which occurred during the first hour of Fox & Friends Weekend, quickly drew attention from critics who accused the network of misleading viewers by showing video from an older ceremony rather than the one held Saturday.
The ceremony took place at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and honored the final homecoming of Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, Capt. Cody Khork, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, and Sgt. Declan Coady. The dignified transfer is one of the most solemn traditions carried out by the U.S. military, marking the return of fallen service members to American soil.
During the broadcast, Fox & Friends Weekend host Griff Jenkins introduced the clip as footage from Saturday’s ceremony. Jenkins noted that President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Second Lady Usha Vance were present at Dover to pay their respects as the flag-draped caskets of the fallen troops were transferred.
“The solemn ritual returns the remains of troops killed in action,” Jenkins said during the segment. “It is considered one of the most somber duties of a commander in chief.”
However, viewers soon realized that the video being shown was not from the most recent ceremony. The footage aired did not show Trump wearing a baseball cap — a detail that had sparked criticism from some observers who viewed the gesture during the actual ceremony as disrespectful.
Once the error was discovered, Fox News moved to correct the record during the 9 a.m. Eastern hour of the program. Jenkins addressed the issue directly on air, acknowledging the mistake and offering condolences to the families of the fallen service members.
“We want to acknowledge a mistake made earlier on our program,” Jenkins said. “During our coverage of yesterday’s dignified transfer, we inadvertently aired video from an older dignified transfer instead of the ceremony that took place yesterday. We deeply regret the error and extend our respect and condolences to the service members’ families. We honor the sacrifice of those six American heroes.”
🚨 Fox News has officially admitted to airing old dignified transfer footage this morning to hide Trump wearing a baseball cap at yesterday’s ceremony.
They got caught. They confirmed it.
This is not a mistake. You don’t accidentally air old footage of a dignified transfer.… pic.twitter.com/bfh5WsriMF
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) March 8, 2026
Despite the apology, some critics remained skeptical and accused the network of intentionally airing the incorrect footage.
Fox News also released a statement addressing the incident, saying the mix-up occurred during the process of sourcing video for the broadcast.
“FOX News Media programs inadvertently aired file footage from a previous dignified transfer while discussing yesterday’s ceremony at Dover Air Force Base,” the network said in the statement. “The archival footage was mistakenly used during the video sourcing process. We regret the error and apologize for the incorrect footage.”
The controversy unfolded against the backdrop of a deeply somber moment for the nation as Americans mourn the loss of six service members whose lives were cut short overseas. Dignified transfers serve as a reminder of the human cost borne by military families and communities across the country whenever U.S. troops are sent into harm’s way.
For many Americans, the ceremony at Dover underscored not only the sacrifice of those who serve but also the heavy toll that conflicts abroad can exact at home, as grieving families await the return of their loved ones draped in the nation’s flag.
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