Trump to hold news conference on Iran after U.S. airman's rescue
President Trump is scheduled to hold a news conference Monday afternoon following the successful rescue of a U.S. airman from inside Iran.
Updated on: April 6, 2026 / 11:18 AM EDT / CBS News
On Friday, an American F-15E fighter jet was downed by Iranian fire. The plane's pilot was located and rescued that same day, but the second crew member, a weapons systems officer, remained missing in Iran's mountainous terrain.
The president announced early Sunday morning that the airman had been rescued. He later said that the airman, a colonel, was found "deep inside the mountains in Iran." The recovery operation was complex, eventually involving more than 150 planes and more than 200 munitions, officials familiar with the mission told CBS News . The stranded airman had only a handgun to defend himself.
Speaking at the White House Easter egg roll on Monday morning, the president said "those two pilots were incredible, brave and we thank them."
Mr. Trump lauded the search-and-rescue mission in a Truth Social post Sunday when he announced the news conference. He said members of the military would join him at the White House.