President Trump has claimed that the United States is engaged in intense negotiations with Iran, warning that a deal must be reached before his Tuesday deadline or he will launch devastating military strikes. In a wide-ranging interview with Axios, Trump also disclosed dramatic new details about the weekend rescue of a downed U.S. F-15 crew member, revealing that American officials initially feared the operation was an Iranian trap.
"There is a good chance, but if they don't make a deal, I am blowing up everything over there," Trump stated, referring to the ongoing indirect talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in exchange for opening the Strait of Hormuz. Mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey remain less optimistic but are working urgently to broker at least a partial agreement to forestall the president's ultimatum.
Trump previously threatened to target critical civilian infrastructure if an agreement is not reached. When asked about the potential harm to innocent civilians, he suggested that Iranians opposing the regime would support such actions to weaken their government. Ahead of the interview, the president posted a stark warning on social media, declaring that Tuesday would be "Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day" in Iran if the strait remains closed.
During the phone call, Trump noted that his envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are conducting negotiations through international mediators and direct text messages with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. While Trump claimed the talks were progressing, he expressed frustration with Iranian delays, citing a recent U.S. strike on a bridge near Tehran as retaliation for Iran attempting to postpone a meeting by five days.
In the same interview, Trump provided extensive details about the daring rescue of a U.S. F-15 weapons system officer whose jet was downed by an Iranian shoulder-fired missile. The officer survived for more than 24 hours in hostile terrain before being extracted by a team of approximately 200 special operations personnel.
According to the president, the military tracked the officer's location but grew suspicious after receiving a radio message in which the airman said, "Power be to God." Trump explained that officials worried the message was a false signal sent by Iranian captors attempting to lure American forces into an ambush. A U.S. defense official later clarified that the exact phrase used was "God is good," a statement that colleagues confirmed was consistent with the airman's religious beliefs, verifying he was alive and evading capture.
The rescue operation unfolded under immense pressure, with Trump noting that thousands of Iranian troops were hunting the crew member and offering bounties for his capture. The pilot of the aircraft was rescued earlier in a swift daytime operation under heavy fire, while the weapons system officer was extracted during a more complex nighttime mission from a temporary base established inside Iran.
Trump also confirmed that the Israeli military provided limited but critical assistance during the search and rescue efforts. While Israel did not pinpoint the officer's exact location, a U.S. defense official noted that the Israel Defense Forces shared intelligence regarding the situation on the ground and conducted an airstrike to prevent Iranian forces from advancing on the rescue zone.