White House sources say disclosure complicated ongoing rescue operation
US President Donald Trump has threatened to jail a journalist over reports revealing the identity of a second U.S. Air Force officer missing after a downed fighter jet in Iran. Speaking at the White House on Monday, April 6, Trump said the disclosure endangered ongoing military rescue operations.
“We’re going to go to the media company that released it, and we’re going to say, ‘National security, give it up or go to jail,’” Trump declared. “The person that did the story will go to jail if he doesn’t say.”
Trump did not name the outlet, and a White House official declined to comment further. Iranian media had initially reported the downed aircraft, prompting speculation about the crew before U.S. news organisations confirmed the second officer’s status.
The second officer was successfully rescued early Sunday in a high-risk mission described by former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe as “comparable to hunting for a single grain of sand in the middle of a desert.” Trump argued that leaks alerted Iranian forces, making the operation far more dangerous.
“It became a much more difficult operation because a leaker leaked,” he said. “All of a sudden, the entire country of Iran knew that there was a pilot somewhere on their land fighting for his life.”
The remarks further escalate tensions between the Trump administration and the media. His administration has previously criticised news organisations, taken legal action against outlets, and sought to limit press access to key government facilities.
Recent legal disputes include The New York Times challenging Pentagon rules requiring journalists to only report government-approved information. A judge ruled in favour of the challenge, restoring certain reporters’ credentials, while the Department of Defense plans to relocate media offices to a separate annex facility once completed.