WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has threatened to take action against journalists who reported on the rescue of a US airman in Iran, warning they could face jail if they refuse to reveal their sources.
After a US fighter jet was shot down over Iran on Friday, several media outlets reported that one of the two airmen on board had been successfully rescued.
Trump said the disclosure had threatened the security of the ongoing operation to recover the second airman, although that officer was later also safely retrieved.
Trump said he would demand that the reporter who first disclosed the information identify how it was obtained, arguing that the leak compromised an ongoing military operation.
View this post on Instagram
“We didn’t talk about the first one for an hour. Then somebody leaked something,” Trump said, adding that authorities were working to identify the source of the leak.
Warning to media organisations
“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 said.
He did not specify which journalist or outlet he was referring to.
According to TRT World, reports on the rescue were carried by multiple organisations, including The New York Times, CBS News, and Axios.
Tensions with the media escalate
The remarks come amid growing frustration within the administration over coverage of the US-Israeli war on Iran, which Trump has privately described as overly negative.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr also weighed in, saying broadcasters airing “fake news” should “correct course” ahead of licence renewals.
Trump earlier criticised sections of the media, claiming some outlets “actually want us to lose the war.”
