Risky rescue of US crew downed in Iran relied on dozens of aircraft and subterfuge, Trump says

kAm&]$] 7@C46D C6D4F65 E96 A:=@E H:E9:? 9@FCD @7 E96 ;6E 8@:?8 5@H? =2E6 %9FCD52J[ DFC8:?8 96=:4@AE6CD[ >:52:C C67F6=6CD 2?5 7:89E6C 2:C4C27E 566A :?E@ xC2? 27E6C 4@?7:C>:?8 9:D =@42E:@?[ %CF>A D2:5 :? 2 G2=65:4E@CJ ?6HD 4@?76C6?46 2E E96 (9:E6 w@FD6[ 56D4C:3:?8 E96 >:=:E2CJ @A6C2E:@? :? 2? F?FDF2= =6G6= @7 56E2:=]k^Am

kAm%96 D64@?5 2G:2E@C 23@2C5 E96 2:C4C27E — E96 H62A@?D DJDE6>D @77:46C — H2D C6D4F65 ?62C=J EH@ 52JD =2E6C]k^Am

kAmp? p\`_ (2CE9@8[ H9:49 H2D E96 2EE24< 2:C4C27E AC:>2C:=J C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C <66A:?8 :? 4@?E24E H:E9 E96 5@H?65 A:=@E @? E96 8C@F?5[ H2D 9:E 3J 6?6>J 7:C6 H9:=6 6?828:?8 xC2?:2? 7@C46D[ D2:5 v6?] s2? r2:?6[ 492:C>2? @7 E96 y@:?E r9:67D @7 $E277]k^Am

kAm%96 p\`_ H2D “?@E =2?523=6[” r2:?6 E@=5 C6A@CE6CD[ 3FE E96 A:=@E 4@?E:?F65 7:89E:?8 367@C6 7=J:?8 E@ 2 7C:6?5=J 4@F?ECJ 2?5 6;64E:?8] w6 H2D BF:4<=J C6D4F65 2?5 :D 5@:?8 7:?6[ r2:?6 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96 C6D4F6 @7 E96 u\`d A:=@E @44FCC65 367@C6 E96 xC2?:2?D 4@F=5 >2CD92= 2 4@>AC696?D:G6 D62C49 @7 E96:C @H?[ 3FE 7:?5:?8 2?5 3C:?8:?8 9@>6 E96 H62A@? DJDE6>D @77:46C H2D 2? 6G6? >@C6 4@>A=:42E65 6?562G@C]k^Am

kAm%96 @77:46C[ H9@ C@56 :? E96 324<D62E @7 E96 u\`d 7=J:?8 F?56C E96 42== D:8? sF56\cc qC2G@[ H2D :?;FC65 3FE 7@==@H65 9:D EC2:?:?8 E@ 86E 2D 72C 7C@> E96 4C2D9 D:E6 2D A@DD:3=6] w6 >2?2865 E@ 4=:>3 >@F?E2:?@FD E6CC2:? 2?5 9:56 :?D:56 2 42G6 @C 4C6G:46] w6 4@?E24E65 &]$] 7@C46D $2EFC52J]k^Am

kAm(96? 2 A=2?6 4C2D96D :? 9@DE:=6 E6CC:E@CJ[ “E96J 2== 9625 C:89E E@ E92E D:E6[ J@F H2?E E@ 36 2D 72C 2H2J 2D J@F 42?[” %CF>A D2:5]k^Am

kAmrxp s:C64E@C y@9? #2E4=:776 D2:5 E96 DAJ 286?4J FD65 “6IBF:D:E6 E649?@=@8:6D E92E ?@ @E96C :?E6==:86?46 D6CG:46” A@DD6DD6D E@ =@42E6 E96 2G:2E@C] pE E96 D2>6 E:>6[ E96 rxp >@F?E65 2 5646AE:@? @A6C2E:@? E@ >:D=625 xC2?:2?D H9@ 2=D@ H6C6 ECJ:?8 E@ 7:?5 9:>]k^Am

kAm#2E4=:776 D2:5 E96 D62C49 2?5 C6D4F6 @A6C2E:@? H2D “4@>A2C23=6 E@ 9F?E:?8 7@C 2 D:?8=6 8C2:? @7 D2?5 :? E96 >:55=6 @7 2 56D6CE]”k^Am

kAm%96 rxp 564=:?65 E@ C6DA@?5 E@ BF6DE:@?D |@?52J 23@FE E96 <:?5 @7 E649?@=@8J FD65 E@ =@42E6 E96 2:C>2?]k^Am

kAm!C@E64E65 3J 2? “2:C 2C>252” @7 5C@?6D[ DEC:<6 2:C4C27E 2?5 >@C6[ C6D4F6CD >@G65 :? @? $F?52J E@ A:4< FA E96 H62A@?D @77:46C 2?5 3C:?8 9:> 9@>6]k^Am

kAm|2?J @7 E96 5@K6?D @7 2:C4C27E E92E H6C6 A2CE @7 E96 @A6C2E:@? H6C6 E96C6 7@C 5646AE:@?[ %CF>A D2:5]k^Am

kAm“(6 H6C6 3C:?8:?8 E96> 2== @G6C[ 2?5 2 =@E @7 :E H2D DF3E6C7F86[” %CF>A D2:5] “(6 H2?E65 E@ 92G6 E96> E9:?< 96 H2D :? 2 5:776C6?E =@42E:@?]”k^Am

kAmq24< :? (2D9:?8E@?[ ?2E:@?2= D64FC:EJ @77:4:2=D 4@@C5:?2E65 @? 2 42==[ <66A:?8 E96 A9@?6 =:?6 @A6? 7@C ?62C=J EH@ 52JD DEC2:89E]k^Am

kAm“uC@> E96 >@>6?E @FC A:=@ED H6?E 5@H?[ @FC >:DD:@? H2D F?3=:?<:?8[Q s676?D6 $64C6E2CJ !6E6 w68D6E9 D2:5] “%96 42== ?6G6C 5C@AA65] %96 >66E:?8 ?6G6C DE@AA65[ E96 A=2??:?8 ?6G6C 462D65]”k^Am