President Donald Trump vowed Monday the administration will find out who leaked details about the then-ongoing rescue of crew members trapped behind enemy lines in Iran, and warned of consequences for any failure to cooperate.
The United States military rescued the weapon systems officer (WSO) of a F-15E Strike Eagle from Iranian territory early Sunday morning, with Trump announcing the successful rescue in a post on Truth Social. Trump said the leak about the WSO placed American military personnel “at great risk,” and warned both the media and the leaker that consequences are coming.
“We didn’t talk about the first one for an hour and then somebody leaked something, which we’ll hopefully find that leaker, we’re looking very hard to find that leaker and talked about, there’s somebody missing,” Trump told reporters during a Monday press conference. “They basically said that we have one and there’s somebody missing. Well, they didn’t know there was somebody missing until this leaker gave the information.”
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The president noted that divulging the rescue operation while it was underway could have been deadly to the servicemembers involved. He pointed out that Iran “put out a major note, as you all saw it, offering a very big award for anybody that captures the pilot.”
“So in addition to a hostile, very talented, very good, very evil military, we had millions of people trying to get an award,” he said, before turning his attention to the media company that ran the story.
“Whoever it is, we think we’ll be able to find it out, because 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,” he said, warning that the press outlet in question could face punishment if they don’t divulge the identity of the leaker. “And we know who, and you know who we’re talking about, because some things you can’t do, because when they did that, all of a sudden, the entire country of Iran knew that there was a pilot that was somewhere on their land, that was fighting for his life.”
Trump again vowed the U.S. would find out who leaked, and warned that the person who published the story will “go to jail” if they don’t cooperate.
“So when you add that to it, but we have to find that leaker, because that’s a sick person. Probably didn’t realize the extent of how bad it was. I can’t imagine that the person did. But we’re going to find out,” Trump said. “It’s national security. And the person that did the story will go to jail if he doesn’t say.”
The pilot of the F-15E was rescued Friday, shortly after the multi-role fighter was downed by an Iranian missile.
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