SPECIAL REPORT: Trump gives details on rescue missions for downed F-15 airmen

[0:00] This is an ABC News special report. [0:03] And good afternoon, everyone. I'm Kira Phillips. [0:04] We're coming on the air because President Trump is holding a news conference now in the White House briefing room. [0:09] The president facing growing concern and questions about his new ultimatum to blow up Iran unless it agrees to a deal by tomorrow. [0:17] Let's listen in. [0:17] Most harrowing combat searches. [0:20] I guess you would call it a search and rescue mission ever attempted by the military. [0:26] Generally, when planes are knocked down in war, especially when you're fighting a strong group, an evil group, you can't really do this because you send in 200 men to pick up one. [0:41] And it's something that's usually not attempted as much as you want to attempt. [0:46] And bad things happen to that one or two. [0:50] And in this case, we did, too, and might not have been attempted before. [0:54] But we did. [0:55] And we got we had great talent. [0:57] We got a little luck, too, I would say. [1:01] And we were helped. [1:02] We were helped by a lot of people, a lot of great people. [1:05] And it was an honor to be involved with it. [1:08] It's very historic. [1:10] This is a rescue that's very historic. [1:14] It'll go down in the books. [1:15] Late Thursday night, an American F-15 fighter jet went down deep inside enemy territory in Iran while participating in Operation Epic Fury, where we're doing unbelievably well, well at a level that nobody's ever seen before. [1:31] The entire country could be taken out in one night. [1:37] And that night might be tomorrow night. [1:40] Both members of the crew ejected from the aircraft and landed alive on Iranian soil. [1:46] I immediately was asked to make a decision. [1:52] I ordered the U.S. [1:53] Armed Forces to do whatever was necessary to bring our brave warriors back home. [1:57] A risky decision because we could have ended up with 100 dead as opposed to one or two. [2:05] It's a hard decision to make. [2:07] But in the United States military, we leave no American behind. [2:11] We don't do it. [2:13] Within hours, our armed forces deployed 21 military aircraft into hostile airspace, many flying at very low altitude, being shot by bullets. [2:22] You bring rifles into play when you're going that low. [2:26] But there are also certain advantages. [2:31] And in broad daylight over Iran for seven hours at times facing very, very heavy enemy fire, we have a helicopter that's got a lot of bullets in it. [2:41] It's amazing. [2:42] We just realized how good those weapons are. [2:45] Those. [2:46] Our machines are nobody has nobody has the equipment that we have and nobody has the military that we have not even close. [2:54] The most powerful military anywhere in the world by far. [2:57] The flight crews and warfighters aboard those aircraft took extraordinary risks to rescue their fellow service members. [3:06] This first wave of search and rescue forces successfully located the pilot of the F-15. [3:12] And he was extracted from enemy territory by an HHC. [3:17] HHC Jolly Green 2 helicopter. [3:20] Fabulous machine as our warriors faced gunfire at very close range. [3:25] It's amazing that when you look at the machinery, what happened that nobody was even injured. [3:34] Meanwhile, the second crew member, a weapons system officer, highly respected colonel, had landed a significant distance away from the pilot when you're going at those speeds. [3:44] Even if you go out two or three seconds later, it's miles. [3:48] It's miles and miles away. [3:49] Because you're going fast. [3:52] He was injured quite badly and stranded in an area teeming with terrorists from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps rough group, as well as besieged militia militia and local authorities. [4:08] Many on top of everything else. [4:11] They told the communities actually with inside of Iran, the people of Iran. [4:17] They were given a tremendous incentive to find this pilot. [4:21] Despite the peril, the officer followed his training and climbed into the treacherous mountain terrain and started climbing toward a higher altitude, something they were trained to do in order to evade capture. [4:38] They want to always go as far away from the site of the shoot down. [4:44] You want to go as far away because they all head right to that site. [4:47] You want to be as far away as you can. [4:51] And he was injured. [4:52] It was an amazing, amazing thing. [4:55] He scaled cliff faces, bleeding rather profusely, treated his own wounds and contacted American forces to transmit his location. [5:06] They have a very sophisticated beeper type apparatus that is on them at all times. [5:15] And when they when they go out on these missions, they make sure they have lots of battery space and they're in good shape. [5:23] And this one worked really well. [5:24] Amazingly. [5:25] Saved his life. [5:26] We immediately mobilized a massive operation to retrieve him from the mountain holdout. [5:35] And he kept going higher and higher. [5:37] The mountain kept getting rougher and rougher and really very, very hard to find. [5:41] The second rescue mission involved 155 aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refueling tankers, 13 rescue aircraft and more. [5:54] We were bringing them all over. [5:57] And a lot of it was subterfuge. [5:59] We wanted to have them think he was in a different location because they had a vast military force out there. [6:05] Thousands, thousands of people were looking. [6:08] So we wanted them to look in different areas. [6:10] So we were scattered all over like we were right on top of them. [6:16] We had seven different locations where they thought and they were very confused. [6:20] They said, well, wait a minute. [6:21] They've got groups here. [6:22] They've got groups. [6:23] There's an amazing thing. [6:26] I was listening to these great people. [6:28] These great generals. [6:30] General Raisin Cane was amazing. [6:32] And Pete Hegseth was amazing. [6:34] But I listened to the whole thing. [6:36] It was pretty amazing. [6:37] So they had all these different sites where everybody thought he was located. [6:42] We think we have him over there because they have nine planes circling a little area that's 25 miles down the coast. [6:49] So in a breathtaking show of skill and precision, lethality and force, America's military descended on the area, the real area. [7:00] Engaged the enemy. [7:03] Rescued the stranded officer. [7:05] Destroyed all threats. [7:07] And exited Iranian territory while taking no casualties of any kind. [7:12] The heroic F-15 weapons system officer had evaded capture on the ground in Iran for almost 48 hours. [7:23] That's a long time when you're in tough shape and when you're bleeding. [7:27] It's a long time. [7:28] When we left, as you probably know, [7:33] we had two large planes, old, pretty old planes. [7:37] It carried a lot. [7:38] We needed a lot more equipment going in than coming out, obviously. [7:42] Because going in, we needed to be able to scale mountains. [7:46] And we had a lot of equipment. [7:49] But the sand was, it was sandy, wet sand. [7:52] So we thought there may be a problem taking off because of the weight of the plane. [7:56] And then we also had all the men jumping back onto the planes. [8:00] And they got pretty well bogged down. [8:03] We had a contingency plan, which was unbelievable. [8:06] Where lighter, faster aircraft came in. [8:10] And they took them out. [8:11] We blew up the old planes. [8:13] We blew them up to smithereens because we had equipment on the planes that, frankly, we'd like to take. [8:18] But I don't think it was worthwhile spending another four hours there taking it off. [8:23] So we didn't want anybody to have the best equipment anywhere in the world. [8:27] We didn't want anybody examining our anti-aircraft and other equipment. [8:33] So these were large planes that were old and pretty old. [8:37] And we blew them up. [8:38] And we had faster, lighter planes come in. [8:43] And they were able to land on the sand. [8:45] We needed the bigger planes because we had so much equipment that we needed. [8:48] We took three helicopters over there, which were very strongly used and couldn't have lived without them. [8:53] They performed unbelievably well. [8:55] And if you'd see it, you wouldn't believe it. [8:58] They came off the plane. [9:00] And these guys had them, the rotors were off. [9:04] They rebuilt these helicopters in less than ten minutes. [9:08] And that was one of the more amazing things. [9:12] These are helicopters. [9:14] Small, unbelievably powerful. [9:18] But small, very small, so it can get into certain areas. [9:22] And they got them off the plane and they rebuilt all three of them in a matter of less than, I would say, less than ten minutes. [9:31] It's pretty amazing what the genius of these people. [9:35] Who would think that? [9:36] You'd think it would take five days to build them. [9:38] And in some companies, it would take five days. [9:40] And they wouldn't do it well. [9:42] But they served us well. [9:44] As Commander-in-Chief, I never forget the extraordinary risk taken by the warriors that we send into battle. [9:51] And the genius, I mean, think of it. [9:53] 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. [10:00] And the planes really got bogged. [10:04] The sand was, this was not much of a runway. [10:06] This was a farm, not a runway. [10:08] It was a farm, but it did the trick. [10:11] But to have a contingency as opposed to having to wait two days, can you imagine right in the middle? [10:16] This was central. [10:17] This was right, you would call it central casting if you were doing a movie for location. [10:24] And probably the toughest area of Iran where we'd be sitting there. [10:28] So these planes came in. [10:29] Those pilots came in so fast and so quick and got out of there. [10:33] Everybody got aboard and just got 15-minute intervals. [10:36] One load out. [10:38] One load out. [10:40] One load out. [10:41] It happened. [10:43] And we were watching and we said, that's amazing. [10:46] In many ways, I was almost more impressed by the contingency that we had than the fact that, you know, if we would have had a runway or decent soil. [10:57] But it was an amazing thing. [10:59] But we thank God for every single one of them. [11:02] And the talent. [11:03] The genius is not even talent. [11:05] It's genius. [11:06] The whole ballgame, every one of them. [11:08] If you look at what we did with Maduro, we went into a military compound, a massive with thousands and thousands of soldiers within a matter of minutes. [11:19] And he lived behind iron doors. [11:21] There were steel doors, broke them down so quickly. [11:24] And within almost minutes, he was in the back of these planes. [11:28] It was a similar group. [11:29] Incredible. [11:31] We have incredibly talented people. [11:33] And if the time comes, we move heaven and earth to bring them home safely. [11:37] We're going to bring our people home safely. [11:39] I want to thank every member of the U.S. [11:42] Armed Forces involved in these historic operations. [11:45] They really were historic. [11:46] It's just not something that's done. [11:48] And you'd understand it. [11:50] Not that they don't want to do it. [11:51] But when you're going into areas, when you look at these helicopters, when you look at the amount of bullets and everything else that they took, when you go into these areas, you don't come out like we came out. [12:02] God was watching us. [12:04] Well, it was the Easter. [12:06] We were in an Easter territory. [12:09] Easter territory, I guess. [12:11] But God was watching us. [12:12] Amazing. [12:13] Because when you look at the machinery, they took damage. [12:16] It tells you. [12:17] First thing I said is, these are unbelievable machines. [12:20] They flew back and not even much of a problem. [12:24] But these two extraordinary rescues, because it was two. [12:27] And as you probably know, we didn't talk about the first one for an hour. [12:32] And then somebody leaked something, which we'll hopefully find that leaker. [12:36] We're looking very hard to find that leaker. [12:39] And talked about. [12:40] There's somebody missing. [12:42] They basically said that we have one and there's somebody missing. [12:46] Well, they didn't know there was somebody missing until this leaker gave the information. [12:50] So whoever it was, we think we'll be able to find it out because we're going to go to the media company that released it. [12:58] And we're going to say national security, give it up or go to jail. [13:03] And we know who and you know who we're talking about. [13:07] Because some things you can't do. [13:10] Because when they did that, all of a sudden. [13:12] The entire country of Iran knew that there was a pilot that was somewhere on their land that was fighting for his life. [13:21] And it also made it much more difficult for the pilots and for the people going in to search for him. [13:29] All of a sudden, they know that there's somebody out there. [13:33] They see all these planes coming in. [13:34] It became a much more difficult operation because a leaker leaked that we have one. [13:42] We've rescued one. [13:43] But there's another one. [13:44] But there's another one out there that we're trying to get. [13:48] So actually, the country, Iran, put out a major notice. [13:53] You all saw it offering a very big award for anybody that captures the pilot. [14:00] So in addition to a hostile, very talented, very good, very evil military, we had millions of people trying to get an award. [14:12] So when you add that to it, but we have to find that leaker because that's a sick person. [14:16] Probably didn't realize the equivalent. [14:19] I don't know the extent of how bad it was. [14:21] I can't imagine that the person did. [14:23] But we're going to find out. [14:25] It's national security. [14:26] And the person that did the story will go to jail if he doesn't say. [14:31] And that doesn't last long. [14:33] And I think everybody would understand that they put this mission at great risk. [14:36] They put that man at great risk. [14:38] And they put the hundreds of people that went in looking for him because everyone now knows that we're going in. [14:46] Over the past 37 days, America's armed forces have carried out. [14:50] More than 10,000 combat flights over Iran unheard of. [14:54] Striking more than 13,000 targets. [14:57] The F-15 we lost last week was the first manned aircraft downed by the enemy in this entire operation with thousands and thousands of flights. [15:06] They got lucky. [15:07] It was a lucky hit. [15:08] You know, eventually you get lucky. [15:11] But we got lucky, too, because we got both of them back. [15:15] But it's a record that is unparalleled in the history of military air operations. [15:20] Nobody's ever seen anything like that. [15:21] It's such an honor to be involved with it. [15:26] We were up late at night. [15:28] And then we were waiting for those contingent planes to come in. [15:33] And we said, come on, let's go get in. [15:35] Because they're waiting out on this farm without a runway with wet, crummy soil, sand, mostly sand, wet sand. [15:46] And it eats planes alive. [15:49] And we're waiting and we're saying, I hope that one can land and take off. [15:53] And they came in like magic. [15:56] Boom. [15:57] Boom. [15:58] One after another. [15:59] It was like genius. [16:00] I'm so impressed by that. [16:01] Because we were a little concerned. [16:03] We said, boy, if they don't get in and get up fast, we're sitting in the middle. [16:08] And that's called Iran Prime. [16:11] Right, General? [16:12] That's where the whole bed is. [16:14] And here we are sitting there waiting for a plane. [16:17] But they came in so fast and so hard. [16:20] And these guys knew exactly what to do. [16:22] Let's go. [16:23] Come on. [16:24] Get in. [16:26] Let's go. [16:27] Pwah. [16:28] They came in at the same time. [16:30] They don't want to come at the same time. [16:31] They had to come right after each other. [16:32] They didn't have any room. [16:33] There was barely any room to land. [16:35] Tiny little patch of very wet earth and sand. [16:41] So I just, I'm so proud of the people that I have standing up here with me and many others that worked. [16:46] I mean, so many. [16:48] Steve Witkoff's over here. [16:49] He's doing fantastically. [16:50] Jared Kushner. [16:53] But the people that are here, the job they did is amazing. [16:56] And I think I'm going to introduce the head of the CIA. [17:00] He is a man who, he's central casting, okay? [17:05] If we cast a movie, he's going to play the head of the CIA. [17:07] He's one of the few. [17:09] John Ratcliffe, he did a phenomenal job that night. [17:12] He did something that I don't know if you want to talk about it. [17:15] If you want, you can. [17:16] I'm not sure he's supposed to. [17:17] I'm not going to talk about it. [17:18] But he really, the CIA was very responsible for finding this little speck. [17:23] It's like they used an expression on one of the shows the general was talking about. [17:27] It's like finding a needle in a haystack, finding this pilot. [17:30] And the CIA was unbelievable. [17:34] And you may, if you can, you'll talk. [17:36] It might be classified, in which case I'd have to put him in jail if he talks about it. [17:40] And I don't want to put him in jail. [17:42] He doesn't deserve that. [17:43] So, John, do you want to say a few words? [17:45] Thank you. [17:48] Thank you, Mr. President. [17:49] It's a privilege to be here with you today to share what we can about this exceptional mission [17:56] and to recognize the ingenuity and bravery of those who executed it, [18:02] as well as the leadership and resolve of the President. [18:05] Who ordered it. [18:06] One thing that has been clear to me in this role [18:09] is that the flawless military operations that the Department of War is known for [18:14] are hostage to flawless intelligence. [18:18] We saw that in the skies over Iran in Operation Midnight Hammer last summer. [18:23] We witnessed it in Venezuela during Operation Absolute Resolve. [18:27] We've seen it against the cartels in the Western Hemisphere. [18:31] And we're seeing it every day in Operation Epic Fury, [18:34] including this mission to rescue, [18:38] an aviator buried deep behind enemy lines. [18:42] Because it is the unique tradition of the U.S. Armed Forces [18:46] that we leave no man or woman behind, [18:50] this was a no-fail mission. [18:53] That was the spirit in which the President put us to work, [18:56] and we were determined not to let him down or our airmen down. [19:02] As an agency, the CIA possesses unique capabilities that only the President can deploy. [19:09] Some of these capabilities fall under covert action authorities. [19:13] Because covert means exactly that, [19:15] I'm not going to be able to tell you everything that you want to know. [19:19] At the President's direction, [19:23] we deployed both human assets and exquisite technologies [19:27] that no other intelligence service in the world possesses [19:30] to a daunting challenge, [19:32] comparable to hunting for a single grain of sand in the middle of a desert. [19:39] This was also a race against the clock, [19:41] as it was critical that we locate the downed aviator as quickly as possible, [19:45] while at the same time, [19:47] keeping our enemies misdirected. [19:52] For that reason, [19:53] in addition to the human and technical assets [19:56] deployed by the President to find our airmen, [19:59] CIA executed a deception campaign [20:04] to confuse the Iranians who were desperately hunting for our airmen. [20:08] On Saturday morning, [20:11] we achieved our primary objective [20:13] by finding and providing confirmation [20:15] that one of America's best and bravest [20:18] was alive and concealed [20:20] in a mountain crevice, [20:23] still invisible to the enemy, [20:24] but not to the CIA. [20:28] That confirmation was relayed by Secretary Hegseth to the President, [20:32] and the operation quickly moved to the execution phase. [20:35] Following the successful exfiltration on Saturday night, [20:41] our intelligence reflects that the Iranians were embarrassed [20:44] and ultimately humiliated [20:46] by the success of this audacious rescue mission. [20:49] When the President asked me to lead the CIA, [20:53] he made it clear, [20:55] get back to basics, [20:56] no politics, [20:57] no agendas, [20:58] tackle the hardest problems, [21:00] and execute the toughest missions. [21:04] This President is about results, [21:06] and now, [21:08] that's what his CIA is about too. [21:10] The professionals at the agency [21:12] and at the Department of War [21:14] deserve immense credit [21:17] for their flawless execution during this daring mission. [21:20] Their skill, creativity, and courage are unmatched [21:23] on the battlefield wherever they step. [21:25] But none of that matters, [21:30] and all of that is wasted. [21:31] Without a President with the political courage [21:34] to put them into action. [21:36] Mr. President, [21:38] I've had the privilege [21:39] of seeing you act with political courage [21:42] in the best interest of the United States [21:44] up close on a daily basis, [21:45] and I'm grateful that this successful mission [21:47] has given the American people [21:49] a window into that as well. [21:52] The Secretary and Chairman will tell you [21:55] that our service members' confidence [21:57] is boosted by a Commander-in-Chief [21:59] who has their back [22:01] the same way they have yours. [22:03] And I know [22:04] that the confidence of CIA's officers [22:07] is boosted by the knowledge that [22:10] their work is informing a President [22:12] who's not afraid [22:14] to make the hardest decisions [22:16] when the stakes are highest. [22:17] And to the American people, [22:21] your confidence should be boosted [22:23] by knowing that the security of the nation [22:26] is in the hands of a President [22:28] who's willing to take on problems [22:30] that have confounded both sides of the political aisle [22:33] for nearly half a century. [22:35] It is an honor to serve under a leader [22:38] who just proved that you can believe him [22:42] when he says, [22:43] no matter what, [22:44] we will leave no one behind. [22:47] We will come for you. [22:50] Thank you. [22:51] Thank you. [23:00] Well, John, thank you for the collaboration [23:01] with the CIA as well. [23:02] Incredible and ongoing partnership. [23:04] Ladies and gentlemen, fellow Americans, [23:07] and especially the brave warriors [23:09] in our armed forces, [23:10] over this Easter weekend, [23:12] the United States military has once again [23:14] proved why we possess [23:15] the greatest fighting force [23:17] the world has ever known. [23:20] Through extraordinary combat search [23:22] and rescue operations deep inside [23:24] enemy territory in Iran, [23:26] our warriors executed missions of breathtaking [23:30] skill, courage, and precision. [23:33] When our warriors are unleashed [23:35] as this President has allowed them to be, [23:37] they are unstoppable. [23:40] When American airmen were down behind enemy lines, [23:43] our forces and our President did not hesitate. [23:46] Special operators supported by elite air crews [23:49] and intelligence professionals [23:50] moved swiftly and decisively [23:52] into treacherous mountain terrain [23:54] under the constant threat [23:56] of Iranian forces closing in. [23:58] Ultimately, it was an impotent Iranian threat. [24:02] And today, as the CIA director mentioned, [24:04] Iran's military, and we know this, [24:06] is embarrassed and humiliated, [24:09] and they should be. [24:10] Now, these are not routine operations. [24:13] They were high-risk, high-stakes missions [24:15] conducted in the heart of enemy territory. [24:18] This was not just barely into Iran. [24:20] This was deep into Iran, [24:21] involving coordinated operations [24:24] and coordinated strikes to suppress threats, [24:26] deception tactics to protect our teams, [24:28] and full synchronization across air ground [24:31] and special operations. [24:33] The Iranians are still asking themselves right now, [24:36] how did the Americans do this? [24:39] One downed airman evaded capture for more than a day, [24:42] scaling rugged ridges while hunted by the enemy. [24:47] When he was finally able to activate [24:49] his emergency transponder, [24:52] his first message was simple, [24:54] and it was powerful. [24:55] He sent a message, [24:57] God is good. [24:59] In that moment of isolation and danger, [25:02] his faith and fighting spirit shone through. [25:06] You see, shot down on a Friday, [25:08] good Friday, [25:09] hidden in a cave, [25:13] a crevice, [25:14] all of Saturday, [25:15] and rescued on Sunday. [25:18] Flown out of Iran as the sun was rising [25:22] on Easter Sunday. [25:25] A pilot reborn, [25:26] all home and accounted for, [25:28] a nation rejoicing. [25:30] God is good. [25:33] Despite incoming fire and unforgiving conditions, [25:37] our troops brought every American home. [25:40] No American lives were lost. [25:42] We leave no man behind, [25:43] and that is not luck. [25:46] It's the result of unmatched training, [25:48] superior technology, [25:49] an unbreakable warrior ethos, [25:51] and sheer American grit. [25:55] Our special operators, pilots, and support crews [25:58] performed with near perfection under fire, [26:01] and they were lethal. [26:04] Just ask any Iranian soldier [26:05] who dared attempt to get anywhere near that pilot [26:09] before or during that mission. [26:12] Death from above. [26:14] Our troops turned a potential tragedy [26:17] into a resounding demonstration [26:18] of American resolve and capability. [26:20] That's what excellence in uniform looks like. [26:23] But make no mistake about it. [26:27] None of this would have been possible [26:30] without the courageous leadership [26:32] and ironclad determination [26:34] of President Donald J. Trump. [26:36] From the moment our airmen went down, [26:39] President Trump made it clear [26:40] we will leave no one behind. [26:43] The first mission, the first of two, [26:45] was an audacious daylight thunder run [26:49] right up the middle. [26:51] It was authorized in less than two hours [26:53] from that pilot going down [26:55] when we knew where he was. [26:57] And it was authorized in the middle of the night, [27:01] because anybody that's worked for this man [27:03] knows he's up in the middle of the night. [27:05] Authorized immediately, without hesitation, audaciously. [27:08] The second mission, [27:09] as soon as we knew where that pilot was, [27:11] and John was certainly helpful in that, [27:15] also executed immediately. [27:17] You know, I looked up at my screen [27:18] when the final mission was complete [27:19] inside our SCIF, our secure facility. [27:23] And we have a running VTC, [27:24] a running coordination cell. [27:26] And the top of it read [27:28] 45 minutes and... [27:30] 45 hours and 56 minutes. [27:33] For 45 hours and 56 minutes, [27:36] we held that call open for coordination. [27:39] From the moment our pilots went down, [27:41] our mission was unblinking. [27:43] The call never dropped, [27:45] the meeting never stopped, [27:47] the planning never ceased. [27:49] The president demanded rapid, decisive action. [27:52] He backed our military with the full weight of his resolve, [27:54] refusing to let enemy propaganda [27:56] or tactical setbacks deter us. [27:59] His leadership ensured that every lethal [28:03] and nonlethal resource was brought to bear, [28:05] that our forces had the authorities [28:07] and the support they needed to succeed. [28:10] When the president says he has the backs of our war fighters, [28:13] he means it. [28:14] And it means a great deal [28:16] and it's a big difference on the battlefield. [28:18] President Trump understands that peace through strength [28:22] is not a slogan. [28:24] It is a doctrine that saves American lives. [28:27] His unwavering commitment to rebuilding our military [28:30] and restoring the warrior spirit [28:32] has paid dividends in missions just like this one. [28:35] Under his command, America projects power with confidence [28:40] and brings our people home with victory. [28:43] And that continues today, by the way. [28:45] Per the president's direction, [28:46] today will be the largest volume of strikes [28:48] since day one of this operation. [28:50] Tomorrow, even more than today. [28:52] And then Iran has a choice. [28:55] Choose wisely. [28:56] Because this president does not play around. [29:00] You can ask Soleimani. [29:02] You can ask Maduro. [29:04] You can ask Khomeini. [29:06] To those heroes who planned and executed these rescues, [29:11] your nation stands in awe. [29:13] I stand in awe. [29:14] The chairman stands in awe. [29:15] We all stand in awe of your professionalism and bravery. [29:18] We serve for you. [29:19] You embody the very best of America. [29:22] To the rescued airmen and their families, welcome home. [29:26] Your courage and endurance, [29:28] the quiet declaration of faith amid the storm inspires us all. [29:33] God is good every day. [29:36] And to our adversaries watching from Tehran, [29:40] let this be a clear message. [29:42] The United States military will go anywhere at any time [29:47] to protect our own and complete the mission. [29:51] We execute with precision. [29:53] We control the skies. [29:55] You see, we flew for seven hours. [29:57] We flew in daylight over Iran to get the first pilot. [30:01] And we flew seven hours in the middle of the night to get the second. [30:06] And Iran did nothing about it. [30:10] We fight with honor. [30:11] And under President Trump's leadership, we win. [30:14] So God bless our troops. [30:15] God bless President Trump. [30:17] And God bless the United States of America. [30:19] Thank you. [30:23] Well, good afternoon, everyone. [30:25] Thank you, Mr. President. [30:26] Thank you, Mr. Secretary. [30:27] I know before I start, I know many of you want specific details. [30:31] In these briefings. [30:33] We will share what we can, but I will retain what I must [30:37] in the event that we have to go do this again sometime. [30:40] And I cannot stress the importance, as the President said, [30:44] around operational security. [30:46] The Secretary and I will do a more detailed briefing tomorrow morning, [30:49] and we look forward to sharing the details that we can. [30:52] On Thursday, 2 April, at 10.10 p.m. Eastern Time, [30:57] 4.40 in the morning, local Iran time, [31:00] the Joint Personnel Recovery Center [31:02] which handles the Central Command Area of Responsibility [31:05] declared an isolated personnel recovery event [31:08] for a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle [31:11] callsign Dude 4-4, which was down in hostile Iranian territory. [31:16] The pilot and weapons system officer had both safely ejected [31:20] and were isolated behind enemy lines. [31:23] Following confirmation of active rescue beacons [31:26] and on the direction of the Secretary and by order of the President, [31:29] a rescue operation was launched [31:31] with the stated purpose of bringing both Americans home safely. [31:36] As the Secretary said several hours later on the morning, [31:39] after positively locating the front-seater callsign Dude 4-4 Alpha [31:44] and aware of an aggressive ongoing search by the enemy, [31:49] a U.S. Central Command plan was approved by the Secretary and the President. [31:55] Shortly thereafter, a U.S. Air Force Combat Search and Rescue Task Force, [32:00] comprised of A-10 Warthogs in their Sandy role, [32:04] and I'll describe what that is in a minute, [32:06] HC-130 Combat King IIs, HH-60 Jolly Green II helicopters, [32:12] and Air Force Special Warfare Airmen, [32:15] a package comprised of combat rescue officers and pararescue operators, [32:20] audaciously penetrated enemy territory in broad daylight [32:25] to find, fix, and recover Dude 4-4 Alpha [32:29] from behind enemy lines. [32:32] This was an incredibly dangerous mission, [32:36] an incredibly dangerous undertaking, [32:40] but a filled promise made to every American warfighter [32:44] that you will not be left behind. [32:47] We will always come find you, [32:49] and we will always bring you home. [32:52] Over the next hours, the Search and Rescue Task Force [32:55] crossed the beach, entered into Iranian airspace, [32:58] protected by a fighter strike package, [33:01] and moved into the objective area all under fire. [33:04] En route, as some of you have seen on social media, [33:08] the helicopters took gas off the C-130s [33:11] and pressed onward and forward up into the objective area. [33:14] While this was ongoing and out in front of them, [33:18] the Sandy flight of A-10s and other remotely piloted aircraft, [33:22] drones, and other tactical aircraft, [33:25] were violently suppressing and engaging the enemy [33:28] in a close-in gunfight to keep them away from the front-seater [33:32] and allow the pickup force to get into the objective area. [33:36] During this engagement, one of the Sandy aircraft, [33:39] the one primarily responsible for communicating with the downed pilot, [33:44] was hit by enemy fire. [33:46] This pilot continued to fight, continued the mission, [33:51] and then upon exit flew his aircraft into another country [33:55] and determined that the airplane was not landable. [33:59] This was one of our A-10 Sandy aircraft. [34:02] The pilot then made the decision to eject over friendly territory [34:06] and was quickly and safely recovered and is doing fine. [34:10] After picking up Dude 4-4 Alpha, [34:15] the HH-60 Jolly Greenfight was engaged by every single person in Iran [34:21] who had a small arms weapon. [34:23] And one of the aircraft, the trailing aircraft, took several hits. [34:27] The crew sustained minor injury, [34:29] and they are going to be fine. [34:31] A note for those of you that do not know what a Sandy does. [34:36] Named after the flight call sign that did this very mission in Vietnam [34:40] flying A-1 Sky Raiders and A-7 Corsairs, [34:44] a Sandy has one mission. [34:48] Get to the survivor, bring the rescue force forward, [34:52] and put themselves between that survivor on the ground and the enemy. [34:57] They are committed to this. [34:59] This is what they live for, [35:01] and this is what they've trained for over many, many years. [35:06] The A-10 force and the rescue force did fantastic, [35:10] did a fantastic job rescuing Dude 4-4 Alpha. [35:14] He was recovered Friday afternoon. [35:19] As I said, and the nation needs to know this, [35:22] this was an incredibly brave and courageous mission [35:26] and a testament to the courage, skill, and tenacity [35:30] of the joint force and our leaders. [35:33] And especially a daylight option, [35:35] having the guts to try means so much to so many. [35:39] Meanwhile, the backseater, [35:41] as the president and the secretary have said, [35:43] had continued to work and survive. [35:46] Through the hours of daylight, [35:49] Dude 4-4 Bravo, the backseater, evaded. [35:53] Using every means available, [35:55] the efforts of the United States military, [35:57] the Central Intelligence Agency, and others [36:00] were attempting to find and locate with precision [36:03] Dude 4-4 Bravo, the backseater. [36:06] A note on the backseater and the frontseater. [36:10] The single most important contributor [36:15] to a successful rescue operation [36:18] is the spirit of attack inside the heart of that downed aviator. [36:22] Their will to survive, their will to evade, [36:26] their will to recover is everything. [36:29] In this case, [36:30] the backseater's absolute commitment to surviving [36:33] made much of our efforts possible. [36:36] On Saturday, 4 April, [36:39] after establishing positive communications with the backseater, [36:43] we learned, as the president said, [36:45] that he was injured and actively evading enemy forces. [36:49] And thanks to our interagency partners, [36:52] we were able to get eyes on his location [36:54] and positively ID him. [36:56] Throughout this entire time, [36:58] the enemy force continued to search [37:00] for 4-4 Bravo, [37:02] and the joint force continued to strike them [37:04] over and over and over again. [37:07] Fighting off marginal weather in Iran [37:09] and the enemy's search, [37:11] for a second time on Saturday, [37:13] at the recommendation of the CENTCOM commander [37:16] and at the approval of the secretary and the president, [37:18] we launched a rescue task force [37:20] to recover Dude 4-4 Bravo. [37:24] Again, this came to the president [37:26] and the secretary for approval, [37:28] this time with a much larger force package, [37:30] based on the time that the enemy had [37:32] to prepare to find 4-4 Bravo. [37:35] Again, this force was protected by A-10 Warthogs [37:39] using the Sandy Call sign. [37:41] And this force had one single mission, [37:44] do everything they can to bring an American home. [37:48] This meant having a plan, [37:50] being prepared to execute that plan, [37:52] and, more importantly, [37:55] being prepared for multiple, [37:57] simultaneous contingencies. [38:00] And because of this force's professionalism, [38:03] grit, and determination, [38:05] fight off two enemies at the same time, [38:08] the enemy searching for 4-4 Bravo [38:11] and contingencies, [38:13] which anyone who has done these types of missions knows [38:16] we run into every single time. [38:19] The force fought off both of those enemies incredibly well. [38:23] During the period of darkness on Saturday, [38:26] and as the secretary said, [38:27] into Easter Sunday, [38:29] and into the daylight, [38:31] the force fought its way in [38:33] and rescued Dude 4-4 Bravo. [38:36] They were protected overhead by an air armada, [38:41] including tactical drones, [38:43] strike aircraft, [38:44] and others. [38:45] The force fought through multiple, [38:47] simultaneous contingencies, [38:49] something no other nation, [38:52] no other military can do, [38:54] and safely returned Dude 4-4 Bravo, [38:58] the backseater, home. [38:59] And, [39:00] all other Americans home as well. [39:03] At midnight 12 local, [39:06] Eastern time, [39:07] Easter Sunday, [39:09] more than 50 hours after the start of this operation, [39:13] the Joint Personnel Recovery Center declared [39:17] Dude 4-4 Bravo, [39:19] both the front and backseater, [39:21] returned to friendly territory. [39:23] The courage demonstrated by both the pilot [39:26] and the weapons system officer while isolated, [39:29] and them invading the enemy, [39:31] cannot be overstated. [39:33] Their grit and warfighting tenacity [39:37] is a direct result of the absolute trust they have [39:40] in our rescue forces, [39:42] their training, [39:43] and their will to survive and return. [39:45] They always knew that we would be ordered [39:48] to go get them, [39:49] and they always knew [39:51] that we would be coming to get them. [39:53] These two operations reflect our nation's [39:56] most sacred obligation to our military service members. [39:59] We leave no one behind. [40:01] Bless you. [40:02] It also perfectly captures the first truth [40:05] of our special operations forces, [40:08] that people are more important than hardware. [40:12] That is the standard we live by, [40:14] and the rescue forces that execute these missions [40:17] operate under a clear motto, [40:20] these things we do that others may live. [40:25] Their actions were a direct embodiment [40:28] of that commitment to others, [40:30] and I could not, [40:31] could not be more proud [40:34] of each and every one of them today. [40:38] As the Secretary said to our enemies, [40:40] this operation serves as a clear reminder [40:43] of the capability and will [40:45] of America's joint force. [40:47] The United States of America [40:49] will recover our warfighters [40:50] anywhere in the world, [40:52] under any conditions, [40:53] when we want to. [40:55] We will always bring overwhelming skill [40:57] and firepower. [40:58] To every member of the joint force, [41:00] our interagency partners, [41:02] the leadership at CENTCOM, [41:04] and our leaders at the department and above, [41:06] thank you. [41:07] I'm proud of each and every one of you, [41:09] and thankful to our deployed forces [41:12] and their families. [41:14] And lastly, and most importantly, [41:17] to Dude 4-4, welcome home. [41:20] Job well done. [41:21] Thank you. [41:27] Pretty amazing. [41:28] Pretty amazing. [41:30] And these two gentlemen have been, [41:32] from day one, they've been perfecto. [41:35] You know, I got to know General Kane, [41:38] in my first term, [41:39] because he was able to take out ISIS [41:41] in four weeks, [41:42] instead of the four-year projection [41:44] that was given to me by other, [41:46] much lesser generals. [41:47] I said, you know, [41:48] if I ever do this again, [41:49] that's going to be the head [41:50] of my Joint Chiefs of Staff. [41:52] And we worked it that way, didn't we? [41:55] It's amazing. [41:56] He took out ISIS. [41:57] We defeated ISIS in four weeks. [42:00] I was told it would take four years. [42:02] I flew to Iraq to find out [42:04] with the greatest equipment in the world, [42:06] why would it take four years? [42:08] And he told me, [42:09] sir, it won't. [42:10] It'll take four weeks [42:11] and you'll have time left over. [42:12] And that's exactly what happened. [42:13] So, he's great. [42:14] And Pete, [42:15] all I can say is that [42:16] he was treated very unfairly. [42:18] And now those same people [42:19] that treated him unfairly, [42:20] that fought against him, [42:21] they call me up and say, [42:22] what a great choice he was. [42:23] They say, well, [42:24] what happened during his nomination? [42:25] What happened to you? [42:26] I'm telling you, [42:27] people that were not for him, [42:28] senators, friends of mine, [42:29] sir, I don't think you're doing it right. [42:31] I'm telling you, [42:32] people that were not for him, [42:33] senators, friends of mine, [42:34] sir, I don't think you're doing it right. [42:35] I'm telling you, [42:36] people that were not for him, [42:37] senators, friends of mine, [42:38] sir, I don't think you're doing it right. [42:39] I'm telling you, [42:40] people that were not for him, [42:41] senators, friends of mine, [42:42] sir, I don't think you're doing it right. [42:43] Now they call me up, [42:44] what a choice. [42:45] These two guys are fantastic. [42:46] And John Ratcliffe was incredible. [42:47] It was actually their genius [42:48] that called us from, [42:49] he was 40 miles away. [42:50] And he said, [42:52] you know, [42:53] we're seeing something moving [42:54] up in the mountain. [42:55] This is at night. [42:56] And they kept the camera on him [42:57] for 45 minutes. [42:58] He wasn't moving. [42:59] And they said, [43:01] you know, [43:02] probably wrong, [43:03] but we're seeing something moving. [43:04] This is at night. [43:05] And they kept the camera on him [43:06] for 45 minutes. [43:07] And he said, [43:08] you know, [43:09] probably wrong, [43:11] but we're seeing something moving. [43:12] This is a vast mountain. [43:13] Vast. [43:14] Thick. [43:15] With bushes, [43:16] trees. [43:17] He said, [43:18] we see something moving. [43:20] 40 miles away. [43:21] It was the head of a human being, [43:22] I'm telling you. [43:23] It's moving. [43:25] And then all of a sudden, [43:26] 45 minutes later, [43:27] he moved a lot. [43:29] He stood up. [43:30] And they said, [43:32] we have him. [43:33] And that was really [43:35] the beginning [43:36] of something incredible. [43:37] We had an idea [43:38] where he was, [43:39] but not specifically. [43:40] And it's a big mountain. [43:41] So, [43:43] the CIA, [43:44] too. [43:45] I don't think they get [43:46] enough credit [43:47] for the great job [43:48] they've done.