The President of the United States did not name the station or the reporter who called him a “sick man”.
President Donald Trump threatened to jail a reporter as part of an administration crackdown on a source who leaked information and “hard” A US F-15E Strike Eagle crew rescue mission shot down over Iran last week.
Speaking at a White House press conference with senior defense officials, Trump said the pilot was found within hours on Friday, while the weapons systems officer – seriously injured and hiding in a mountain crevice – was rescued early Sunday after a complex mission involving more than 150 aircraft.
Trump said the government had hoped to keep the disappearance of the second plane a secret to prevent Iranian forces from capturing him. But after multiple media outlets reported that one worker was still missing, Trump claimed that the disclosure alerted the Iranian military and put the worker’s life in danger.
“We will go to the media company that released it, and we will say, ‘Homeland Security, release it or go to jail'” Trump told reporters. “The person who made up the story will go to jail if he doesn’t tell.”
“It became a more difficult operation because the leaker leaked,” He said. “Suddenly, the whole country of Iran knew that there was a pilot who was somewhere on their soil who was fighting for his life.”
The rescue operation involved a large force of 155 US aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighter jets, 48 tankers, and 13 special rescue aircraft. The operation also involved hundreds of special operations troops, including Navy SEAL Team 6 commandos, who were brought in to rescue the stranded plane.
Despite the success of the mission, with no American lives lost, the United States suffered significant material losses. At least two transport planes were disabled at a remote Iranian air base during the drill and were deliberately destroyed by US commanders to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. Additionally, two American Black Hawk helicopters were reportedly hit by Iranian fire, and an A-10 Warthog was hit but managed to limp back into Kuwaiti airspace, where its crew ejected.
“So, in fact, the country of Iran put out a major notice – you all saw it – offering a very large reward for anyone who captures the pilot,” Trump said. “So with a hostile army, a very talented, very good, very bad military, we had millions of people trying to get the prize. So when you add that, we have to find the leaker, because that’s sick.”
The president did not specify the agency or the author he was targeting. A White House official said the investigation is ongoing.
Trump also used the briefing to make a fresh decision on Iran, threatening to destroy the country’s civilian infrastructure unless Tehran agrees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday evening.
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