Trump Issues Ultimatum to Iran: White House Briefing on Rescue Mission & Hormuz Strait

[0:00] The entire country could be taken out in one night, [0:03] and that night might be tomorrow night. [0:06] Both members of the crew ejected from the aircraft [0:09] and landed alive on Iranian soil. [0:12] I immediately was asked to make a decision. [0:18] I ordered the U.S. Armed Forces to do whatever was necessary [0:21] to bring our brave warriors back home. [0:23] A risky decision because we could have ended up [0:27] with 100 dead as opposed to one or two. [0:31] It's a hard decision to make. [0:33] But in the United States military, [0:35] we leave no American behind. [0:37] We don't do it. [0:39] Within hours, our armed forces deployed 21 military aircraft [0:43] into hostile airspace, many flying at very low altitude, [0:47] being shot by bullets. [0:50] You bring rifles into play when you're going that low, [0:53] but there are also certain advantages. [0:57] And in broad daylight over Iran for seven hours, [1:00] at times facing very, very heavy enemy fire, [1:04] we have a helicopter that's got a lot of bullets in it. [1:07] It's amazing. [1:08] We just realized how good those weapons are, [1:11] those machines are. [1:14] Nobody has the equipment that we have, [1:17] and nobody has the military that we have. [1:19] Not even close. [1:20] The most powerful military anywhere in the world by far. [1:24] The flight crews and warfighters aboard those aircraft [1:27] took extraordinary risks to rescue [1:29] their fellow service members. [1:32] This first wave of search and rescue forces [1:34] successfully located the pilot of the F-15, [1:39] and he was extracted from enemy territory [1:42] by an HH-60 Jolly Green II helicopter. [1:46] Fabulous machine, as our warriors faced gunfire [1:50] at very close range. [1:53] It's amazing that when you look at the machinery, [1:57] what happened, that nobody was even injured. [2:00] Meanwhile, the second crew member, [2:02] a weapons system officer, a highly respected colonel, [2:06] had landed a significant distance away from the pilot [2:09] when you're going at those speeds, [2:11] even if you go out. [2:12] Two or three seconds later, it's miles. [2:15] It's miles and miles away, because you're going fast. [2:19] He was injured quite badly and stranded in an area, [2:23] teeming with terrorists from the Islamic Revolutionary [2:26] Guard Corps, a rough group, as well as besieged militia [2:31] and local authorities. [2:34] Many, on top of everything else, they told the communities, [2:41] actually, withinside of Iran, the people of Iran, [2:43] were given a tremendous incentive to find this pilot. [2:49] Despite the peril, the officer followed his training [2:52] and climbed into the treacherous mountain terrain [2:55] and started climbing toward a higher altitude, [2:58] something they were trained to do in order to evade capture. [3:04] They want to always go as far away [3:07] from the site of the shoot-down. [3:11] They want to go as far away because they all head [3:13] right to that site. [3:13] You want to be as far away as you can. [3:17] And he was injured, and he was an amazing, amazing thing. [3:21] He scaled cliff faces, bleeding rather profusely, [3:26] treated his own wounds, and contacted American forces [3:30] to transmit his location. [3:33] They have a very sophisticated beeper-type [3:38] apparatus that is on them at all times. [3:42] And when they go out on these missions, [3:44] they make sure they have lots of battery space [3:47] and they're in good shape. [3:49] And this one worked really well, amazingly. [3:51] Saved his life. [3:53] We immediately mobilized a massive operation [3:56] to retrieve him from the mountain holdout, [4:01] and he kept going higher and higher. [4:02] The mountain kept getting rougher and rougher [4:04] and really very, very hard to find. [4:08] The second rescue mission involved 155 aircraft, [4:12] including four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refueling tankers, [4:17] 13 rescue aircraft, [4:19] and more. [4:20] We were bringing them all over, [4:23] and a lot of it was subterfuge. [4:25] We wanted to have them think he was in a different location [4:29] because they had a vast military force out there. [4:32] Thousands, thousands of people were looking. [4:35] So we wanted them to look in different areas. [4:37] So we were scattered all over, [4:40] like we were right on top of them. [4:42] We had seven different locations where they thought. [4:45] And they were very confused. [4:46] They said, well, wait a minute, they've got groups here, [4:48] they've got groups there. [4:49] It's amazing. [4:51] I think I was listening to these great people, [4:56] these great generals. [4:58] General Raisin Cane was amazing, and Pete Hegseth was amazing. [5:01] But I listened to the whole thing. [5:03] It was pretty amazing. [5:05] So they had all these different sites [5:06] where everybody thought he was located. [5:09] We think we have him over there [5:10] because they have nine planes circling a little area [5:14] that's 25 miles down the coast. [5:18] So in a breathtaking show of skill and precision, [5:22] lethality and force, America's military, [5:25] ended on the area, the real area, engaged the enemy, [5:29] rescued the stranded officer, destroyed all threats, [5:34] and exited Iranian territory while taking no casualties [5:38] of any kind. [5:40] The heroic F-15 weapons system officer had evaded capture [5:45] on the ground in Iran for almost 48 hours. [5:50] That's a long time when you're in tough shape [5:52] and when you're bleeding. [5:54] It's a long time. [5:55] When we left, as you probably remember, [5:57] you're in a car with a gun. [5:58] Probably, no. [5:59] We had two large planes. [6:01] Old, pretty old planes. [6:03] It carried a lot. [6:04] We needed a lot more equipment going in than [6:06] coming out, obviously, because going in, we [6:09] needed to be able to scale mountains. [6:12] And we had a lot of equipment. [6:14] But the sand was — it was sandy, wet sand. [6:18] So we thought there may be a problem taking off [6:21] because of the weight of the plane. [6:22] And then we also had all the men jumping back onto [6:25] the planes. [6:27] And they got pretty well bogged down. [6:29] And we had a contingency plan, which was [6:31] unbelievable, where lighter, faster aircraft [6:35] came in and they took them out. [6:37] We blew up the old planes. [6:39] We blew them up to smithereens because we had [6:42] equipment on the planes that, frankly, we'd like [6:44] to take, but I don't think it was worthwhile [6:46] spending another four hours there taking it off. [6:49] So we didn't want anybody to have — we have the [6:51] best — best equipment anywhere in the world. [6:53] We didn't want anybody examining our anti-aircraft [6:58] and other equipment. [6:59] So these were large planes that were old and [7:03] pretty old. [7:03] And we blew them up. [7:05] And we had faster, lighter planes come in. [7:09] And they were able to land on the sand. [7:11] We needed the bigger planes because we had so [7:12] much equipment that we needed. [7:13] We took three helicopters over there, which were very [7:16] strongly used and couldn't have lived without them. [7:19] They did — they performed unbelievably well. [7:22] And if you'd see it, you wouldn't believe it. [7:24] They came off the plane, and these guys had them — [7:28] the — the — the rotors. [7:29] The rotors were off. [7:31] They rebuilt these helicopters in less than [7:34] 10 minutes. [7:36] And that was one of the more amazing things. [7:38] These are helicopters — small, unbelievably [7:43] powerful, but small — very small, so it can get [7:47] into certain areas. [7:49] And they got them off the plane, and they rebuilt [7:52] all three of them in a matter of less than — I [7:56] would say less than 10 minutes. [7:57] It's pretty amazing what — the — the genius of [8:00] these people. [8:01] Who would think that? [8:02] You'd think it would take five days to build them. [8:04] And in some companies, it would take five days, and [8:06] they wouldn't do it well. [8:08] But they served us well. [8:09] They — as Commander-in-Chief, I never [8:12] forget the extraordinary risk taken by the [8:14] warriors that we send into battle. [8:17] And the genius — I mean, think of it. [8:19] Having a contingency of three planes waiting [8:22] because we think the sand is so bad that we [8:24] probably won't be able to take off. [8:26] And the planes really got bogged. [8:29] The sand was — this was not much of a runway. [8:32] This was a farm. [8:33] Not a runway. [8:33] It was a farm, but it did the trick. [8:37] But to have a contingency, as opposed to having to [8:39] wait two days — can you imagine, right in the [8:41] middle? [8:42] This was central. [8:44] This was right — you would call it central [8:47] casting if you were doing a movie for location. [8:50] And probably the toughest area of Iran where we'd [8:53] be sitting there. [8:54] So these planes came in. [8:55] Those pilots came in so fast and so quick and got [8:58] out of there. [8:59] Everybody got aboard and just got 15-minute [9:02] intervals. [9:03] One load. [9:04] Out. [9:05] One load. [9:06] Out. [9:06] One load. [9:07] Out. [9:08] The three — it happened. [9:09] And we were watching. [9:10] And we said, that's amazing. [9:12] It's — in many ways, I was — I was almost more [9:15] impressed by the contingency that we had [9:18] than the fact that, you know, if we would have [9:21] had a runway or decent soil. [9:23] But it was an amazing thing. [9:25] But we thank God for every single one of them. [9:28] And the talent — the genius — it's not even [9:31] talent, it's genius. [9:32] It's the whole ballgame. [9:34] Every one of them. [9:35] And if you look at what we did with Maduro, we went [9:38] into a military compound — a massive — with [9:42] thousands and thousands of soldiers within a [9:44] matter of minutes. [9:46] And he lived behind iron doors. [9:47] They were steel doors. [9:48] Broke them down so quickly. [9:51] And within almost minutes, he was in the back of [9:54] these planes. [9:54] It was a similar group. [9:55] Incredible. [9:56] We have incredibly talented people. [9:59] And if the time comes, we move heaven and earth to [10:03] bring them home safely. [10:04] We're going to bring our people home safely. [10:07] I want to thank every member of the U.S. [10:08] Armed Forces involved in these historic operations. [10:11] They really were historic. [10:12] It's just not something that's done. [10:15] And you'd understand it. [10:16] Not that they don't want to do it, but when you're [10:19] going into areas — when you look at these [10:21] helicopters, when you look at the amount of bullets [10:23] and everything else that they took — when you go [10:24] into these areas, you don't come out like we [10:28] came out. [10:29] God was watching us, I tell you. [10:31] Well, it was the Easter — we were in the Easter [10:36] Territory, I guess. [10:37] But God was watching us. [10:38] Amazing. [10:39] Because when you look at the machinery, they took [10:41] — they took damage. [10:43] It tells you — the first thing I said is, these [10:45] are unbelievable machines. [10:46] How they flew back and not even much of a problem. [10:50] But these two extraordinary rescues — [10:53] because it was two. [10:54] And as you probably know, we didn't talk about the [10:56] first one for an hour. [10:58] And then somebody leaked something, which we'll [11:01] hopefully find that leaker. [11:02] We're looking very hard to find that leaker. [11:05] And talked about there's somebody missing. [11:09] They basically said that, [11:11] we have one, and there's somebody missing. [11:13] Well, they didn't know there was somebody missing [11:14] until this leaker gave the information. [11:17] So whoever it was, we think we'll be able to [11:19] find it out because we're going to go to the media [11:22] company that released it, and we're going to say, [11:27] national security, give it up or go to jail. [11:30] And we know who — and you know who we're talking [11:33] about, because some things you can't do. [11:36] Because when they did that, all of a sudden, the [11:39] entire country of Iran knew that there was a [11:43] pilot that was somewhere on the ground. [11:44] That was fighting for his life. [11:49] And it also made it much more difficult for the [11:53] pilots and for the people going in to search for him. [11:56] All of a sudden, they know that there's somebody [11:59] out there. [12:00] They see all these planes coming in. [12:01] It became a much more difficult operation. [12:05] Because a leaker leaked that we have one, we've [12:09] rescued one, but there's another one out there that [12:12] we're trying to get. [12:14] So, actually, the country, Iran, is going to be the [12:17] only country that's going to have a leaker. [12:18] And the military, as you all saw, put out a major [12:20] notice — you all saw it — offering a very big award [12:24] for anybody that captures the pilot. [12:26] So, in addition to a hostile, very talented, [12:30] very good, very evil military, we had millions [12:35] of people trying to get an award. [12:37] So, when you add that to it — but we have to find [12:41] that leaker, because that's a sick person. [12:43] Probably didn't realize the extent of how bad it [12:46] was. [12:47] I can't imagine that person did. [12:48] But we're going to find out. [12:50] It's national security. [12:51] And that's the only way. [12:52] And the person that did the story will go to jail [12:56] if he doesn't say. [12:57] And that doesn't last long. [12:59] And I think everybody would understand it. [13:00] They put this mission at great risk. [13:02] They put that man at great risk, and they put [13:04] the hundreds of people that went in looking for [13:07] him, because everyone now knows that we're going in. [13:12] Over the past 37 days, America's armed forces have [13:15] carried out more than 10,000 combat flights over [13:19] Iran, unheard of, striking more than 13,000 targets, [13:22] the F-15 we lost last week was the first manned [13:27] aircraft downed by the enemy in this entire [13:30] operation, with thousands and thousands of flights. [13:33] They got lucky. [13:33] It was a lucky hit. [13:35] You know, eventually, you get lucky. [13:38] But we got lucky, too, because we got both of them [13:40] back. [13:41] But it's a record that is unparalleled in the [13:43] history of military air operations. [13:46] Nobody has ever seen anything like it. [13:48] It's such an honor to be involved with it. [13:52] We were up late at night. [13:54] And then we got back. [13:55] And then we were waiting for those contingent [13:59] planes to come in. [14:00] And we said, come on, let's go get in, because [14:02] they're waiting out on this farm without a runway, [14:08] with wet, crummy soil, sand, mostly sand, wet [14:13] sand, and it eats planes alive. [14:16] And we're waiting, and we're saying, I hope that [14:18] one can land and take off. [14:21] And they came in like magic. [14:22] Boom, boom, boom, one after another. [14:24] It was like genius. [14:26] I'm so impressed by that, because we were a little [14:29] concerned. [14:29] We said, boy. [14:30] If they don't get in and get up fast, we're [14:33] sitting in the middle. [14:34] And that's called Iran Prime. [14:37] Right, General? [14:38] That's where the whole bet is. [14:41] And here we are sitting there waiting for a plane. [14:44] But they came in so fast and so hard. [14:46] And these guys knew exactly what they did. [14:48] Let's go. [14:49] Come on, get in. [14:50] Let's go. [14:50] Pwah. [14:51] They came one right after another, not at the same [14:54] time. [14:55] They don't want to come at the same time. [14:57] They had to come right after each other. [14:58] They didn't have any room. [14:59] There was barely any room to land. [15:01] A tiny little patch of very wet earth and sand. [15:07] So I just, I'm so proud of the people that I have [15:10] standing up here with me and many others that worked. [15:12] I mean, so many. [15:14] Steve Witkoff is over here. [15:15] He's doing fantastically. [15:16] Jared Kushner. [15:18] But the people that are here, the job they did is [15:21] amazing. [15:22] And I think I'm going to introduce the head of the [15:25] CIA, and he is a man who is central casting, okay? [15:31] If we cast a movie, he's going to play the head of [15:33] the CIA. [15:33] He's one of the few. [15:35] John Ratcliffe. [15:36] He did a phenomenal job that night. [15:39] He did something that I don't know if you want to [15:41] talk about it. [15:41] If you want, you can. [15:42] I'm not sure he's supposed to. [15:43] I'm not going to talk about it. [15:44] But he really, the CIA was very responsible for [15:48] finding this little speck. [15:49] It's like they used an expression on one of the [15:52] shows the general was talking about. [15:54] It's like finding a needle in a haystack, finding [15:56] this pilot. [15:58] And the CIA was unbelievable. [16:00] And you may, if you can, you'll talk. [16:02] It might be classified, in which case I'd have to [16:05] put him in jail. [16:05] Let me talk. [16:06] He talks about it, and I don't want to put him in [16:08] jail. [16:08] He doesn't deserve that. [16:10] So, John, do you want to say a few words? [16:11] Thank you. [16:12] Mr. Thank you, Mr. President. [16:16] It's a privilege to be here with you today to [16:19] share what we can about this exceptional mission [16:22] and to recognize the ingenuity and bravery of [16:26] those who executed it, as well as the leadership and [16:29] resolve of the President who ordered it. [16:33] One thing that has been clear to me in this role is [16:35] that the flawless military operations that the [16:38] Department of War is known for are high [16:41] risk, are hostage to flawless intelligence. [16:44] We saw that in the skies over Iran in Operation [16:48] Midnight Hammer last summer. [16:49] We witnessed it in Venezuela during Operation [16:52] Absolute Resolve. [16:54] We've seen it against the cartels in the Western [16:56] Hemisphere, and we're seeing it every day in [17:00] Operation Epic Fury, including this mission to [17:04] rescue an aviator buried deep behind enemy lines. [17:08] Because it is the unique tradition of the U.S. [17:11] Armed Forces that we leave no man or woman in the [17:14] air or woman behind, this was a no-fail mission. [17:18] That was the spirit in which the President put us [17:20] to work, and we were determined not to let him [17:23] down or our airmen down. [17:28] As an agency, the CIA possesses unique [17:31] capabilities that only the President can deploy. [17:35] Some of these capabilities fall under covert action [17:37] authorities, and because covert means exactly that, [17:42] I'm not going to be able to tell you everything that [17:45] you want to know. [17:48] At the President's direction, we deployed [17:50] both human assets. [17:51] And exquisite technologies that no other intelligence [17:55] service in the world possesses, to a daunting [17:57] challenge, comparable to hunting for a single grain [18:02] of sand in the middle of a desert. [18:05] This was also a race against the clock, as it [18:08] was critical that we locate the downed aviator [18:11] as quickly as possible, while at the same time [18:15] keeping our enemies misdirected. [18:17] For that reason, in addition to the human and [18:22] technical assets deployed by the President to [18:25] find our airmen, CIA executed a deception [18:28] campaign to confuse the Iranians, who were [18:31] desperately hunting for our airmen. [18:35] On Saturday morning, we achieved our primary [18:38] objective by finding and providing confirmation that [18:42] one of America's best and bravest was alive and [18:46] concealed in a mountain crevice, still invisible to [18:50] the enemy, but not to the CIA. [18:54] That confirmation was relayed by Secretary [18:56] Hegseth to the President, and the operation quickly [18:59] moved to the exterior. [19:00] On Saturday night, our intelligence revealed that [19:03] the Iranians were embarrassed and ultimately [19:05] humiliated by the success of this audacious rescue [19:08] mission. [19:09] Following the successful exfiltration on Saturday [19:11] night, our intelligence reflects that the Iranians [19:13] were embarrassed and ultimately humiliated by [19:15] the success of this audacious rescue mission. [19:19] When the President asked me to lead the CIA, he [19:21] made it clear, get back to basics. [19:23] No politics. [19:24] No agendas. [19:26] Tackle the hardest problems and execute the [19:28] toughest missions. [19:30] This President is about results, and now that's [19:34] what his CIA is about, too. [19:36] The professionals at the agency and at the [19:39] Department of War deserve immense credit for their [19:43] flawless execution during this daring mission. [19:45] Their skill, creativity, and courage are unmatched [19:50] on the battlefield wherever they step. [19:54] But none of that matters, and all of that is wasted [19:58] without a President with the political courage to [20:01] put them into action. [20:04] Mr. President, I've had the privilege of seeing [20:07] you act with political courage in the best [20:09] interest of the United States up close on a daily [20:11] basis. [20:13] I know that this successful mission has given [20:15] the American people a window into that as well. [20:20] The Secretary and Chairman will tell you that our [20:22] service members' confidence is boosted by a [20:25] Commander-in-Chief who has their back the same way [20:29] they have yours. [20:30] And I know that the confidence of CIA's [20:33] officers is boosted by the knowledge that their work [20:37] is informing a President who's not afraid to make [20:40] the hardest decisions when the stakes are highest. [20:45] And to the American people, your confidence is [20:48] boosted by knowing that the security of the nation [20:52] is in the hands of a President who's willing to [20:55] take on problems that have confounded both sides of [20:58] the political aisle for nearly half a century. [21:03] It is an honor to serve under a leader who just [21:05] proved that you can believe him when he says, [21:10] no matter what, we will leave no one behind. [21:14] We will come for you. [21:16] Thank you. [21:26] The President. [21:27] Mr. Well, John, thank you for the collaboration [21:29] of the CIA as well. [21:30] Incredible and ongoing partnership. [21:32] And fellow Americans, and especially the brave [21:34] warriors in our armed forces. [21:36] Over this Easter weekend, the United States military [21:39] has once again proved why we possess the greatest [21:43] fighting force the world has ever known. [21:46] In two extraordinary combat search and rescue [21:49] operations deep inside enemy territory in Iran, [21:53] our warriors executed missions of breathtaking [21:56] skill, courage, and precision. [22:00] When our warriors are unleashed, as this [22:02] President has allowed them to be, they [22:04] are unstoppable. [22:08] When American airmen were down behind enemy lines, [22:10] our forces and our President did not hesitate. [22:13] Special operators supported by elite air crews and [22:16] intelligence professionals moved swiftly and decisively [22:19] into treacherous mountain terrain under the constant [22:22] threat of Iranian forces closing in. [22:25] Ultimately, it was an impotent Iranian threat. [22:29] And today, as the CIA Director mentioned, Iran's [22:32] military, and we know this, is embarrassed and humiliated. [22:36] And they should be. [22:38] Now, these are not routine operations. [22:40] They were high-risk, high-stakes missions conducted [22:43] in the heart of enemy territory. [22:45] This was not just barely into Iran. [22:47] This was deep into Iran, involving coordinated [22:50] strikes to suppress threats, deception tactics [22:52] to protect our teams, and full synchronization [22:55] across air, ground, and special operations. [22:58] The Iranians are still asking themselves right [23:00] now, how did the Americans do this? [23:05] One downed airman evaded capture for more than a [23:08] day. [23:09] Scaling rugged ridges while hunted by the enemy. [23:13] When he was finally able to activate his emergency [23:16] transponder, his first message was simple and it [23:20] was powerful. [23:22] He sent a message, God is good. [23:26] In that moment of isolation and danger, his faith and [23:30] fighting spirit shone through. [23:32] You see, shot down on a Friday, good Friday, hidden [23:37] in a cave, a crevice, all of Saturday, and rescued [23:43] on Sunday. [23:45] Flown out of Iran. [23:46] As the sun was rising on Easter Sunday. [23:51] A pilot reborn, all home and accounted for, a [23:55] nation rejoicing. [23:57] God is good. [24:00] Despite incoming fire and unforgiving conditions, [24:03] our troops brought every American home. [24:06] No American lives were lost. [24:08] We leave no man behind. [24:10] And that is not luck. [24:12] It's the result of unmatched training, [24:14] superior technology, an unbreakable warrior ethos, [24:18] and sheer American grit. [24:20] Our special operators, pilots, and support crews [24:23] performed with near perfection under fire. [24:27] And they were lethal. [24:30] Just ask any Iranian soldier who dared attempt to [24:34] get anywhere near that pilot before or during that [24:38] mission. [24:39] Death from above. [24:42] Our troops turned a potential tragedy into a [24:44] resounding demonstration of American resolve and [24:46] capability. [24:47] That's what excellence in uniform looks like. [24:51] But make no mistake about it. [24:52] None of this is a joke. [24:54] None of this would have been possible without the [24:56] courageous leadership and ironclad determination of [25:00] President Donald J. Trump. [25:04] From the moment our airmen went down, [25:05] President Trump made it clear we will leave no one behind. [25:10] The first mission, the first of two, [25:12] was an audacious daylight thunder run right up the middle. [25:17] It was authorized in less than two hours from that pilot going [25:21] down when we knew where he was. [25:25] And it was authorized in the middle of the night. [25:27] Because anybody that's worked for this man knows [25:29] he's up in the middle of the night. [25:31] Authorized immediately, without hesitation, [25:33] audaciously. [25:35] The second mission, as soon as we knew where that [25:37] pilot was, and John was certainly helpful in that, [25:41] also executed immediately. [25:43] You know, I looked up at my screen when the final [25:45] mission was complete inside our SCIF, our secure [25:47] facility, and we have a running VTC, a running [25:51] coordination cell. [25:53] And the top of it read 45 minutes and 45 hours and [25:58] 56 minutes. [26:00] For 45 hours and 56 minutes. [26:02] We held that call open for coordination. [26:05] From the moment our pilots went down, [26:07] our mission was unblinking. [26:10] The call never dropped. [26:11] The meeting never stopped. [26:13] The planning never ceased. [26:16] The President demanded rapid, decisive action. [26:18] He backed our military with the full weight of his resolve, [26:21] refusing to let enemy propaganda or tactical [26:24] setbacks deter us. [26:25] His leadership ensured that every lethal and nonlethal [26:30] resource was brought to bear, that our forces had the [26:32] authorities. [26:34] And the support they needed to succeed. [26:36] When the President says he has the backs of our [26:38] warfighters, he means it. [26:41] And it means a great deal, and it's a big difference [26:43] on the battlefield. [26:45] President Trump understands that peace [26:47] through strength is not a slogan. [26:50] It is a doctrine that saves American lives. [26:53] His unwavering commitment to rebuilding our military [26:56] and restoring the warrior spirit has paid dividends [26:59] in missions just like this one. [27:02] Under his command, America projects power with [27:05] confidence. [27:07] And that's what we need to do to bring our people home [27:09] with victory. [27:10] And that continues today, by the way. [27:11] Per the President's direction, today will be [27:13] the largest volume of strikes since day one of [27:16] this operation. [27:17] Tomorrow, even more than today. [27:20] And then Iran has a choice. [27:22] Choose wisely. [27:24] Because this President does not play around. [27:28] You can ask Soleimani. [27:30] You can ask Maduro. [27:31] You can ask Khomeini. [27:34] To those heroes who planned and executed these [27:36] rescues, your nation stands in awe. [27:39] I stand in awe. [27:40] The Chairman stands in awe. [27:41] We all stand in awe. [27:42] We all stand in awe of your professionalism and [27:44] bravery. [27:45] We serve for you. [27:46] You embody the very best of America. [27:49] To the rescued airmen and their families, welcome [27:51] home. [27:52] Your courage and endurance, the quiet [27:55] declaration of faith amid the storm inspires us all. [27:59] God is good every day. [28:03] And to our adversaries watching from Tehran, let [28:07] this be a clear message. [28:09] The United States military will go anywhere, at any [28:12] time, to protect our own and complete the mission. [28:17] Execute with precision. [28:19] We control the skies. [28:20] You see, we flew for seven hours in daylight over Iran [28:25] to get the first pilot. [28:27] And we flew seven hours in the middle of the night to [28:30] get the second. [28:32] And Iran did nothing about it. [28:36] We fight with honor. [28:37] And under President Trump's leadership, we win. [28:40] So God bless our troops. [28:42] God bless President Trump. [28:44] And God bless the United States of America. [28:45] The President Well, good afternoon, everyone. [28:51] Thank you, Mr. President. [28:52] Thank you, Mr. Secretary. [28:53] A note before I start. [28:55] I know many of you want specific details in these [28:59] briefings. [28:59] We will share what we can, but I will retain what I [29:03] must in the event that we have to go do this again [29:06] sometime. [29:07] And I cannot stress the importance, as the [29:10] President said, around operational security. [29:13] The Secretary and I will do a more detailed briefing [29:15] tomorrow morning, and we look forward to sharing [29:17] the details that we can. [29:20] On Thursday, 2 April, at 1010 p.m. [29:22] Eastern Time. [29:24] And at 830 in the morning, local Iran time, the [29:26] Joint Personnel Recovery Center, which handles the [29:29] Central Command Area of Responsibility, declared [29:32] an isolated personnel recovery event for a U.S. [29:35] Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle, callsign Dude 44, [29:39] which was down in hostile Iranian territory. [29:42] The pilot and weapons system officer had both [29:45] safely ejected and were isolated behind enemy [29:48] lines. [29:49] Following confirmation of active rescue beacons and [29:52] on the direction of the Secretary of the United [29:54] States, and by order of the President, a rescue [29:56] operation was launched with the stated purpose of [29:59] bringing both Americans home safely. [30:03] As the Secretary said, several hours later on the [30:05] morning, after positively locating the front seater, [30:09] callsign Dude 44 Alpha, and aware of an aggressive [30:13] ongoing search by the enemy, a U.S. [30:16] Central Command plan was approved by the Secretary [30:19] and the President. [30:21] Shortly thereafter, a U.S. [30:22] Air Force combat search and [30:24] rescue task force, comprised of A-10 Warthogs [30:28] in their Sandy role, and I'll describe what that is [30:31] in a minute, HC-130 Combat King IIs, HH-60 Jolly Green [30:36] II helicopters, and Air Force Special Warfare [30:40] Airmen, a package comprised of combat rescue [30:43] officers and pararescue operators, audaciously [30:47] penetrated enemy territory in broad daylight to find, [30:52] fix, and recover Dude 44. [30:54] Alpha from behind enemy lines. [30:58] This was an incredibly dangerous mission, an [31:02] incredibly dangerous undertaking, but a filled [31:07] promise made to every American warfighter that [31:10] you will not be left behind. [31:13] We will always come find you, and we will always [31:16] bring you home. [31:18] Over the next hours, the search and rescue task [31:21] force crossed the beach, entered into Iranian [31:23] airspace. [31:25] Protected by a [31:26] fighter strike package, and moved into the [31:28] objective area, all under fire. [31:31] En route, as some of you have seen on social media, [31:34] the helicopters took gas off the C-130s and [31:38] pressed onward and forward up into the objective area. [31:42] While this was ongoing and out in front of them, the [31:45] Sandy flight of A-10s and other remotely piloted [31:48] aircraft, drones, and other tactical aircraft were [31:52] violently suppressing and engaging the enemy in a [31:55] close-in gunfight together. [31:56] We have a [31:58] very strong sense of security, and we have [32:00] been able to keep them away from the front [32:01] seat and allow the pickup force to get into the [32:04] objective area. [32:05] During this engagement, one of the Sandy [32:07] aircraft, the one primarily responsible for [32:09] communicating with the downed pilot, was hit by [32:12] enemy fire. [32:14] This pilot continued to fight, continued the [32:17] mission, and then upon exit, flew his aircraft [32:20] into another country and determined that the [32:23] airplane was not landable. [32:25] This was one of our A-10 Sandy aircraft. [32:27] The pilot then made the decision to eject over [32:31] friendly territory and was quickly and safely [32:34] recovered and is doing fine. [32:37] After picking up Dude 4-4 Alpha, the HH-60 Jolly [32:42] Greenfight was engaged by every single person in Iran [32:47] who had a small arms weapon. [32:49] And one of the aircraft, the trailing aircraft, [32:52] took several hits. [32:53] The crew sustained minor injury, and they are going [32:56] to be fine. [32:57] A note for those of you that do not know what a [33:01] Sandy does. [33:02] Named after the flight call sign that did this [33:05] very mission in Vietnam flying A-1 Sky Raiders and [33:09] A-7 Corsairs, a Sandy has one mission. [33:14] Get to the survivor, bring the rescue force forward, [33:18] and put themselves between that survivor on the [33:21] ground and the enemy. [33:24] They are committed to this. [33:25] This is what they live for, and this is what [33:28] they've trained for over many, many years. [33:32] The A-10 force and the rescue force did fantastic [33:37] did a fantastic job rescuing Dude 4-4 Alpha. [33:42] He was recovered Friday afternoon, as I said, and [33:46] the nation needs to know this. [33:48] This was an incredibly brave and courageous [33:51] mission and a testament to the courage, skill and [33:55] tenacity of the joint force and our leaders, and, [33:59] especially, a daylight option. [34:02] Having the guts to try means so much to so many. [34:06] Meanwhile, the backseater, as the President and the [34:09] Secretary have said, had continued to work and [34:12] survive. [34:14] Through the hours of daylight, Dude 4-4 Bravo, [34:17] the backseater, evaded. [34:19] Using every means available, the efforts of [34:22] the United States military, the Central [34:24] Intelligence Agency, and others were attempting to [34:27] find and locate with precision Dude 4-4 Alpha, [34:31] Dude 4-4 Bravo, the backseater. [34:33] A note on the backseater and the frontseater. [34:38] The single most important contributor to a [34:42] successful rescue operation is the spirit of [34:45] attack inside the heart of that downed aviator. [34:49] Their will to survive, their will to evade, their [34:53] will to recover is everything. [34:56] In this case, the backseater's absolute [34:58] commitment to surviving.