U.S. military jets executed a missing man formation Wednesday over the White House as President Donald Trump welcomed Polish President Karol Nawrocki, paying tribute to a Polish F-16 pilot killed days earlier.
Four F-35 fighter jets roared over the South Lawn followed by four F-16s flying the ceremonial formation honoring Major Maciej “Slab” Krakowian, who died Aug. 28 when his fighter jet crashed while conducting maneuvers in Poland, Stars and Stripes reported.
Trump greeted the Polish leader with a slap on his shoulder before the two presidents stood side by side on the South Lawn while watching the flyover. The aerial tribute transformed what would have been a routine state visit into a demonstration of military solidarity between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. The two heads of state then went inside.
F-16 and F-35 jets fly over the White House to pay tribute to fallen Polish fighter pilot 🇺🇸🇵🇱 pic.twitter.com/2O0vwbvZPH
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) September 3, 2025
Krakowian, 35, led Poland’s F-16 Tiger Demonstration Team and was conducting a training sortie ahead of the Radom Airshow when his aircraft went down, TVP World reported at the time of the incident. The pilot left behind a wife and two young boys, according to a statement from Polish General Ireneusz Nowak. (RELATED: Polish F-16 Plunges Into Ground Ahead Of Air Show, Pilot Killed)
Polish Deputy Prime Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, who visited the crash site, posted a statement to X on the day of the incident. “In the F-16 plane crash, a Polish Army pilot died – an officer who always served the Fatherland with dedication and great courage. I pay tribute to his memory. To the family and loved ones, I offer my deepest condolences. This is a great loss for the Air Force and the entire Polish Army,” he wrote.
Nawrocki arrived at the White House seeking to deepen Poland’s ties with the Trump administration and make the argument for maintaining America’s significant military deployments in the nation, according to Stars and Stripes. Trump indicated that he was willing to consider sending additional troops to Poland.
“We’ll put more there if they want,” the president said, adding that “we’re with Poland all the way, and we will help Poland protect itself.”