Trump also said the US has a plan under which every bridge and power plant in Iran could be destroyed by midnight tomorrow.
Despite this, the president wouldn’t say whether the war is ramping up or winding down. Trump said that Iran is an “active, willing participant” in negotiations.
The president was joined by administration officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
If you’re just joining us, here are top headlines from the news conference:
Trump recounted some of the harrowing ordeal faced by the service member the US military rescued from inside Iran. He and Hegseth invoked God while praising the successful missions that rescued two US airmen following the downing of a fighter jet in Iran last week.
Trump said his administration is searching for the “leaker” behind initial reports that an Air Force officer was missing in Iran following the downing of his fighter jet. He also threatened jail time for the reporter who “did the story.”
Locating and rescuing the service member hiding in Iran after his jet was downed was a “daunting challenge,” Ratcliffe said.
Caine said that the US operation to rescue the downed American airman was successful because of the crew member’s “absolute commitment to surviving.”
Trump said not all his military advisers supported an operation to rescue the crew of a downed F-15E fighter jet in Iran.
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz must be part of a proposal to end the war with Iran, Trump said. The president later added that the US — rather than Iran — should impose a toll on ships passing through the critical waterway.
Trump repeatedly railed against US allies who he claims “didn’t help us” with the war in Iran, calling them out by name. He also suggested that the US’ widening rift with NATO began when he first suggested taking over Greenland.
Trump offered some insight into how he thinks about controlling oil in both Iran and Venezuela, as he’s said he would like to seize Iranian oil.