President Trump holds press conference on rescue of second F-15 crew member
UPDATE (12:15 PM): President Donald Trump and other military leaders provided details about the weekend rescue of two servicemen in Iran.
President Trump spoke alongside CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
"[Under the] president's direction, we deployed both human assets and exquisite technologies that no other intelligence service in the world possesses to a daunting challenge comparable to hunting for a single grain of sand in the middle of a desert," Director Ratcliffe shared.
"Specialized special operator, supported by elite air crews and intelligence professionals, moved swiftly and decisively into treacherous mountain terrain under the constant threat of Iranian forces closing in. Ultimately, it was an impotent Iranian threat, and today, as the CIA director mentioned Iran's military, and we know this is embarrassed and humiliated, and they should be."
Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense
"This was an incredibly dangerous mission, an incredibly dangerous undertaking, but a filled promise made to every American war fighter that you will not be left behind. We will always come find you, and we will always bring you home," Gen. Caine added.
Trump provided intricate details of the rescue over the weekend of the second airman.
According to the president, the injured airman was able to climb to higher ground where he was discovered by the CIA.
The rescue operation involved 155 aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refueling tankers and 13 rescue aircraft.
Trump said eventually, there was a problem leaving Iran because of the "wet sand" and the "weight of the plane," but the "lighter, faster aircraft" flew in to take the Americans out of Iran with the airman before destroying the aircraft that were stuck in the sand.
The president praised the rescued airmen, their rescuers, and his military advisers.
"As Commander in Chief, I never forget the extraordinary risk taken by the warriors that we send into battle and the genius. I mean, think of it having a contingency of three planes waiting because we think the sand is so bad that we probably won't be able to take off, and the planes really got bogged. Sand was this was not much of a runway. This was a farm, not a runway. It's a farm. But it it did the trick."
President Donald Trump
He also threatened whoever he said leaked information about the rescue of the first service member before the second one had been brought to safety.
"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 person did, but we're going to find out it's national security, and the person that did the story will go to jail if he doesn't say and that doesn't last long. And I think everybody would understand they put this mission at great risk."
President Donald Trump
WASHINGTON (NBC, KYMA) - President Donald Trump is holding a press conference Monday.
According to NBC News, this is to discuss the rescue of the second crew member from the F-15 that went down in Iran last week.
President Trump called it an "Easter miracle" in a text to NBC News.
According to a social media post from the president, the airman was "seriously wounded" and described him as a "highly respected colonel."
To watch the livestream of the press conference, see attached video.
