'Give It Up Or Go To Jail': Trump Threatens Media Over Leak On US Jet Crew's Rescue In Iran

Last Updated:April 07, 2026, 07:29 IST

Trump threatened a media organisation with jail if it refuses to reveal the source of a leak about a US airman's rescue in Iran, saying the disclosure endangered national security.

US President Donald Trump has threatened legal action against a media organisation over the publication of details related to a sensitive US military rescue mission in Iran, saying the government could compel journalists to reveal their sources in the name of national security.

“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 said during a White House press conference on Monday.

LIVE Updates On The US-Iran War

Trump alleged that information about a missing US airman was disclosed prematurely through a leak, which he suggested could have jeopardised the ongoing rescue effort.

“They didn’t know there was somebody missing until this leaker gave the information," Trump said, adding that authorities are attempting to identify the source responsible for disclosing operational details.

“You know who we are talking about," Trump said, while asserting that the administration believes it will be able to determine the identity of the leaker.

LEAK ALLEGEDLY IMPACTED RESCUE EFFORT

Trump said he would demand that the journalist who first reported that an airman had been rescued reveal how they obtained the information.

He argued that the disclosure risked compromising operational security while the second crew member remained missing.

“We didn’t talk about the first one for an hour. Then somebody leaked something, and we will hopefully find the leaker. We’re looking very hard to find that leaker," Trump said.

Trump added that the disclosure had threatened the security of the ongoing mission to rescue the second airman, who was eventually recovered successfully.

It remains unclear which media outlet Trump was referring to, as several organisations, including The New York Times, CBS News and Axios, reported on the rescue developments within a short span of time.

The White House did not publish a clarification on the specific journalist or organisation referenced in Trump’s remarks.

DETAILS OF HIGH-RISK RESCUE OPERATION

The United States deployed dozens of aircraft, hundreds of personnel and advanced intelligence capabilities in a complex mission to recover the two-member crew of a fighter jet shot down inside Iran.

Trump described the operation as a coordinated effort across US military and intelligence agencies, involving helicopters, refuelling aircraft and fighter jets operating deep inside Iranian territory.

The pilot of the F-15E Strike Eagle was rescued within hours of the aircraft being downed, while the second crew member, the weapons systems officer, was located nearly two days later after evading Iranian forces in mountainous terrain.

Trump said the search effort relied on significant coordination and technological capabilities.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the intelligence agency used “exquisite technologies that no other intelligence service" possesses to locate the missing airman, according to AP.

Trump characterised the mission as highly complex, stating that US forces had to operate in hostile territory while managing risks posed by Iranian forces attempting to locate the downed crew members.

According to AP, the rescue involved helicopters flying low over Iranian territory for extended periods and facing enemy fire, while additional aircraft were deployed as part of deception tactics intended to mislead Iranian forces about the location of the missing personnel.

News world 'Give It Up Or Go To Jail': Trump Threatens Media Over Leak On US Jet Crew's Rescue In Iran

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