Trump threatens to jail reporter who first reported US airman missing
Says the leak made the rescue more difficult
President Donald Trump of the United States has threatened to jail a journalist who reported that a second U.S. Air Force officer from a downed fighter jet was missing.
Trump made the remark at the White House on Monday, April 6, stating that the disclosure complicated an ongoing military rescue operation in Iran.
According to him, the report exposed sensitive details that authorities had intended to keep confidential following the successful recovery of the first airman.
“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. “The person that did the story will go to jail if he doesn’t say.”
He, however, did not name the media organisation involved, while a White House official declined to provide further clarification on the matter.
The controversy followed initial reports by Iranian media about a downed U.S. aircraft, which sparked widespread speculation before major American outlets confirmed that two airmen were involved.
An investigation into the source of the leak is currently underway, officials said.
Several organisations, including CNN, had reported on the missing personnel and subsequent rescue efforts.
The second officer was eventually recovered early Sunday in what officials described as a high-risk operation. U.S. intelligence chief, John Ratcliffe, reportedly likened the mission to “hunting for a single grain of sand in the middle of a desert.”
Trump argued that the leak may have alerted Iranian authorities and increased the risk to the stranded officer.
“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 development marks a further escalation in tensions between Trump and the media, as he has repeatedly criticised news organisations and pursued legal battles against some outlets.
His administration has also introduced measures affecting media operations, including restrictions on press access to key government institutions such as the White House and the Pentagon.
In a related development, a legal dispute involving The New York Times challenged Pentagon rules requiring journalists to report only government-approved information. A court ruling later ordered the restoration of certain reporters’ access.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense has indicated plans to relocate media offices from within its headquarters to a separate annex facility upon completion.
