Donald Trump is threatening to jail a journalist, and it all comes down to a leak he says put American lives at risk. The U.S. president made the threat at a White House press conference on Monday, targeting the outlet that exposed a closely guarded military secret. The disclosure, Trump argues, directly complicated one of the most complex rescue operations in American history.
Donald Trump threatens journalist over fighter jet leak
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to jail journalists at the outlet that reported a second airman missing after Iran shot down an American fighter jet, NBC News reported.
U.S. forces later recovered both crew members through separate rescue operations. Trump described the second operation, which deployed more than 150 aircraft, as one of the most complex in American history. Trump said he would pressure the media company responsible for the report to reveal its source. “We’re going to say, ‘National security. Give it up or go to jail,'” Trump said at a White House press conference Monday.
Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, responded directly to the threat. “News organizations have a First Amendment right to publish stories about matters of public importance,” Jaffer said. He added that Trump’s threat “should be understood as an effort to intimidate the press.”
Trump argued that the leak endangered the stranded airman’s life. Iran reportedly offered a public bounty for the airman’s capture after the story broke. “We had millions of people trying to get an award,” Trump said. Trump also reiterated his threat to destroy Iranian infrastructure if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8 p.m. ET Tuesday. “The entire country could be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump said.
When asked whether targeting civilian infrastructure constituted a war crime, Trump said, “Not at all.” Despite the threats, Trump acknowledged Iran is currently negotiating “in good faith” and said he would prefer a deal over escalation.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on Mandatory.com.
