President Donald Trump made controversial remarks about a message sent by a U.S. airman after his F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Iran. The pilot’s radio message, which said, “Power be to God,” raised suspicions among U.S. officials, and Trump commented that the message “sounded like something a Muslim would say.”
Trump explained in an interview with Axios on Sunday that the U.S. military initially feared the radio message might be a trap set by Iranian forces during a dangerous rescue mission. The weapons systems officer who sent the message had ejected from the jet after it was shot down. A U.S. defense official later clarified that the officer’s exact words were “God is good.”
Early Suspicion and the Officer’s Faith
Trump added that the wording of the message made some U.S. officials worried that Iranian forces might be trying to trick American troops into danger. He said, “What he said on the radio sounded like something a Muslim would say.” However, later it was confirmed by people who knew the officer that he was a religious person, and U.S. officials determined that he was alive and had not been captured by Iranian forces.
The 48-Hour Rescue Operation
The rescue mission began after Iran downed the F-15 on Friday. U.S. special operations troops, around 200 of them, were involved in the operation. The rescue of the weapons systems officer marked the conclusion of a 48-hour search mission. The pilot had already been recovered earlier. The operation was one of the most daring and risky rescues in U.S. military history, according to Trump.
Danger and Resistance During the Mission
During the mission, U.S. aircraft faced heavy resistance from Iranian forces. Two Black Hawk helicopters were hit by Iranian fire but managed to return to U.S. airspace. Another aircraft was destroyed due to a malfunction. Despite these challenges, the operation successfully prevented Iran from capturing the airman, avoiding a potential hostage crisis for the Trump administration.
Casualties and Continued Conflict
Since the beginning of the conflict with Iran, 13 U.S. service members have died, and over 300 have been injured, according to Reuters. Iran has continued to show its ability to target U.S. aircraft despite ongoing attacks by the U.S. and Israel.
Trump’s remarks came as he intensified his rhetoric against Iran. On Easter Sunday, Trump threatened to target Iranian power plants and bridges if Iran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday.
In a social media post, he ended with the phrase “Praise be to Allah,” which attracted criticism from various groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations. They argued that the comment reflected a disrespectful use of religious terms.
Israel’s Role in the Rescue
Trump also mentioned that Israel had helped “a little bit” in the search for the downed crew members. Reuters later reported that Israeli assistance was part of the operation and that a CIA effort had misled Iranian forces about the rescue.
Trump described the successful recovery mission as proof of U.S. military strength, although the ongoing conflict with Iran and its significant missile and drone capabilities remain a challenge.
