Trump speech highlights: US President says ‘someone leaked’ info on downed F-15 airman who was rescued eventually

Speaking after Trump, John Ratcliffe, the CIA director, said, "The CIA executed a deception campaign to confuse the Iranians, who were desperately hunting for our airmen. On Saturday morning, we achieved our primary objective by finding and providing confirmation that one of America’s best and bravest was alive... Following the successful exfiltration on Saturday night, our intelligence reflects that the Iranians were embarrassed, and ultimately humiliated by the success of this audacious rescue mission."

War secretary Pete Hegseth and Trump both used the phrase: “No man left behind”, as the American military philosophy behind the rescue.

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President Donald Trump on Monday threatened an unspecified media outlet with jail time if it does not reveal the person who leaked information about a US military pilot who was missing in Iran.

"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,'" Trump told a news conference.

Trump shared details also on the transport cargo planes that got stuck inside Iran during the rescue mission for a downed F-15 airman. “We blew up the old planes,” he said, adding that the planes were destroyed because they contained communications equipment and “anti-missile technology” that he feared Iran could have seized or replicated.

US President Donald Trump warned Monday that all of Iran could be "taken out" Tuesday at the expiry of a deadline he issued for the Islamic republic to reopen the key Strait of Hormuz waterway.

"The entire country could be taken out in one night and that night might be tomorrow night," Trump told a news conference on Monday.

Donald Trump said he would “send to jail” the reporter or the source who first gave information about the fact that one of the crew of two on the downed F-15E jet was stranded inside Iran. “I will ask the media organisation the name of the person,” he said, not naming names.

“We mobilised a massive operation to retrieve him from the mountains, with 155 aircraft — five bombers, 64 fighter jets, 48 refueling planes, 13 rescue aircraft and more — as we wanted Iran to think he was in a different location,” Donald Trump said on a US airman's rescue from Iran.

“We spread out and scattered to deceive. Seven different locations were part of the plan to throw Iran off the pilot's scent,” he added.

"God was watching us," he said.

Trump explained how the downed F-15E jet crew was rescued from Iran over the weekend. He said the pilot was located and extracted in a helicopter as “warriors faced gunfire at very close range”.

He said the weapons service officer, a “highly respected colonel”, landed at a distance away from jet's pilot, who was rescued earlier.

He said the colonel was injured badly and stranded, being targeted by the IRGC and local militia. “He scaled cliff faces while bleeding, treated his own wounds, and contacted US troops,” he said.

He is now speaking at the White House.

Donald Trump claims in his news conference at White House: “The entire country [Iran] could be taken out in one night, and that may be tomorrow.” This comes even as both sides have said truce talks are being held via mediators, though a breakthrough remains elusive for now.

US President Donald Trump on Monday said his administration has received a proposal from Iran aimed at ending the ongoing conflict, and said: “It's not good enough, but it is a very significant step.”

Ge also made new threats.

"Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," he said, and referred to his decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear agreement signed under the Obama administration, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Trump claimed that had the United States "not broken the Barack Obama nuclear deal, Israel would have been gone, and the entire Middle East would be in big trouble."

In more stark language, Trump added, “I hate to say it but we are obliterating the country. They just don't want to say 'uncle'... And if they don't, they'll have no bridges. They'll have no power plants. They'll have no anything.”

Trump also stated that if he had the choice, he would have taken over Iran's oil reserves under US control. "If I had a choice, I would have taken the oil. It is there for the taking," he added.

As Iran rejected a proposed ceasefire, Donald Trump ramped up his threats less than two days before his ultimatum to re-open the Strait of Hormuz or face further attacks on civilian infrastructure.

“They don’t want to cry, as the expression goes, ‘uncle,’ but they will, and if they don’t, they’ll have no bridges,” Trump told reporters on Monday at the White House.

He added that it was “highly unlikely” that he’d move the deadline again.

He is set to address reporters at a press conference at 1 pm in Washington, or 10:30 pm.

Iran demanded a permanent end to the war, lifting of sanctions, and reconstruction efforts, in addition to protocol for safe passage through Hormuz, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA.

Gold prices steadied on Monday, as market participants waited to see whether ceasefire negotiations could avert an escalation in the US-Israeli war on Iran as a deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz nears.

Spot gold was little changed at $4,669.27 per ounce by 11:22 am ET (1522 GMT) after falling 1% earlier in the session. US gold futures rose 0.3% to $4,694.50.

The United States and Iran are weighing the framework of a plan to end their five‑week-old conflict, even as Tehran pushed back against pressure to swiftly reopen the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump has threatened to rain "hell" on Tehran if it did not make a deal by the end of Tuesday, US time.

Even after Iran rejected his truce plan, US President Donald Trump said the United States has “studied a proposal” for a 45-day ceasefire in the West Asia war, and called it a "very significant step" in the conflict.

"It's a significant proposal, it's a significant step. It's not good enough, but it's a very significant step," Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that intermediaries “are negotiating now”.

Iran has rejected the proposed truce in its war with the United States and Israel, insisting "on the need for a definitive end to the conflict", state news agency IRNA reported.

Iran rejected a proposed ceasefire as a deadline from President Donald Trump looms to re-open the Strait of Hormuz or face further attacks on civilian infrastructure.

Iran demanded a permanent end to the war, lifting of sanctions, and reconstruction efforts, in addition to protocol for safe passage through Hormuz, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA. The rejection, delivered through mediator Pakistan, is the latest blow to efforts to end the month-long war that has triggered a global energy crisis.

US allies are reportedly pressing for a last-minute deal with Iran, as Trump extended his deadline to Tuesday for Tehran to reopen the vital waterway, keeping markets on edge over whether a breakthrough can be reached.

Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey are reportedly pushing to secure a potential ceasefire — lasting about 45 days — to head off threatened US strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure and retaliation by the Islamic Republic against countries in the region.