WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump threatened to jail journalists who reported that a second U.S. airman was missing after a fighter jet was shot down over Iran, raising concerns about press freedom and national security.
Both crew members from the F-15E Strike Eagle were ultimately rescued in separate operations, with the second airman recovered after being stranded in Iranian territory for nearly two days. U.S. officials described the mission as highly complex, involving extensive air support.
Trump said the disclosure of the second missing airman compromised the operation and vowed to identify the source of the leak. “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.
Legal experts pushed back on the threat. Jameel Jaffer of the Knight First Amendment Institute said journalists have a constitutional right to protect sources and report on matters of public importance.
The remarks come as the conflict with Iran enters its sixth week, with Trump continuing to threaten major strikes on Iranian infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by a set deadline.
The situation has also heightened domestic pressure, as rising oil prices and war costs draw scrutiny from lawmakers and the public.
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