The downing of a US plane over Iran sparked chaos inside the White House, with President Donald Trump yelling at aides and remaining outside the room while officials planned a high-risk rescue mission, the Wall Street Journal reported.The incident occurred on Good Friday after Trump was informed of the disappearance of two American pilots. According to the report, he called on the army to “go and arrest them immediately,” demanding quick action despite the complexities of operating inside Iranian territory.U.S. forces have not operated on the ground in Iran for decades, forcing officials to evaluate how to enter hostile territory and avoid detection by Iranian forces before launching any rescue attempt.Read also: Iran rejects the second round of talks with America in PakistanHis aides, concerned that Trump’s impatience might disrupt planning, kept him out of detailed discussions as they received minute-by-minute updates, briefing him only at key moments, the report said, citing a senior administration official.The incident also raised Trump’s fears of a repeat of the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis under Jimmy Carter, which he previously described as a political disaster.
“If you look at what happened with Jimmy Carter… with the helicopters and the hostages, it cost them the election,” Trump reportedly said in March, describing the situation as “a mess.”One pilot was quickly recovered. The second remained behind enemy lines for more than 24 hours before being rescued late Saturday in a high-risk recovery operation, averting what could have been a major setback for the department.Within hours of the rescue, Trump returned to a more aggressive stance, issuing a profanity-laced warning to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz in a social media post, drawing attention with his language and tone.Critics say this approach lacks strategic coherence. Corey Shaki told the newspaper that gains on the battlefield did not translate into a clear path to victory.The White House defended the president’s handling of the situation, with press secretary Carolyn Leavitt saying he remained a steadfast leader during the conflict.Meanwhile, in the latest development, tensions around the Strait of Hormuz remain high, as the US military seized an Iranian ship in the Strait of Hormuz.