Fox News aired old footage of Donald Trump without a baseball cap during its coverage of the dignified transfer ceremony for six American soldiers killed in the Iran war—and only corrected the record after critics noticed the swap.
The network claims it was an honest mistake. According to the AP, a staff member “inadvertently” pulled archival footage of Trump at an earlier ceremony and used it on two Sunday morning broadcasts instead of Saturday’s actual event at Dover Air Force Base.
Oh my god! Fox News is blatantly covering up Trump’s “Dignified Transfer” because they’re too humiliated to show the actual footage of the orange shitstain wearing his campaign hat and looking down his suit to make sure his piss bag was in place. pic.twitter.com/vDChq9sKzy
— Canada Hates Trump (@AntiTrumpCanada) March 8, 2026
Why does this matter? Trump showed up to one of the most solemn duties of a commander in chief—receiving the flag-draped coffins of American troops—wearing a baseball cap. The old footage Fox aired showed him hatless, looking more presidential.
“We regret the error and apologize for the incorrect footage,” Fox said in a statement, noting they used the correct video at other times.
Critics weren’t buying it. “If any other network did this it would be a huge scandal, Fox would lead the chorus of criticisms and faux-outrage, and people would lose their jobs,” wrote Mehdi Hasan, founder of the online site Zeteo.
Even Fox’s own talent was furious. Johnny “Joey” Jones, a veteran and co-host of “The Big Weekend Show,” said on social media he was “embarrassed and ashamed” by the error. “Few things are more sacred than our heroes who give their lives in the line of duty,” Jones wrote.
🚨 Fox News has officially admitted to airing old dignified transfer footage this morning to hide Trump wearing a baseball cap at yesterday’s ceremony.
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) March 8, 2026
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
Jones added that while he believes it was an honest mistake, “that doesn’t make it an acceptable one.”
The six soldiers whose remains were returned Saturday died in a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait after the U.S. and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran. One of them was 20-year-old Army Reserve Sgt. Declan Coady of West Des Moines, Iowa.
Fox News anchor Griff Jenkins issued an on-air correction Sunday, saying “we extend our respect and condolences” to the families of the fallen service members.