Trump Sidelined by His Own Aides in Daring Iran Rescue Over Fears He’d Jeopardize Mission: WSJ

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump’s own aides deliberately kept him away from the Situation Room during a high-risk mission to extract downed U.S. pilots from Iran, fearing his “impatience” might jeopardize the operation, according to a new report.

During the 24-hour Easter weekend rescue, as officials monitored developments minute-by-minute and other cabinet members sat on a call, Trump was kept at a distance and updated via phone only at “meaningful moments” according to a senior administration official.

The official told The Wall Street Journal on Sunday that “they believed his impatience wouldn’t be helpful.”

The decision followed a period of heightened agitation in the West Wing after the jet was shot down in early April. Upon learning of the incident, The Journal reported, Trump reportedly “screamed at aides for hours” about spiking gas prices and the reluctance of European allies to help out.

When it came to the rescue operation, however, Vice President JD Vance and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles tracked the mission remotely, the rescue unfolded amid technical setbacks and mounting pressure.

The aircraft briefly became stuck in desert sand, while U.S. forces staged diversions to avoid Iranian detection as the airman, identified only by a code name, was moved to safety.

One airman was recovered early, but it was not until late Saturday that the second was successfully extracted. Trump was informed of the final success before retiring in the early hours.

Within hours of waking, however, he returned to a more combative public posture, issuing a now-infamous profanity-laced warning online that Iran would be left “living in Hell” if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened.

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