President Donald Trump commented that a message from a stranded U.S. airman, after an F-15 was shot down over Iran, “sounded like something a Muslim would say.”
He explained that U.S. officials initially worried the transmission might be part of an Iranian trap during a risky rescue mission. Trump made these remarks in an interview with Axios published on Sunday, just a day after U.S. forces rescued the second crew member from rugged terrain in Iran.
According to Axios, the weapons systems officer sent a brief radio message after ejecting, telling rescuers, “Power be to God.” A U.S. defense official informed Axios that the exact phrase was “God is good.”
Trump mentioned that this wording caused early suspicion that Iranian forces could be trying to lure U.S. troops into danger, adding, “What he said on the radio sounded like something a Muslim would say.”
Trump also said that people who knew the officer later clarified he was religious, and the defense official stated that officials ultimately confirmed he was alive and had not been captured.
The rescue concluded a 48-hour search following Iran downing the F-15 on Friday, according to Reuters and Axios. Reuters reported that the rescued airman was the weapons systems officer, while the pilot had been recovered earlier. Trump noted that about 200 special operations troops participated in the mission and described it as one of the most daring rescue operations in U.S. military history.
JUST IN: 🇺🇸🇮🇷 Footage shows wreckage of US Black Hawk helicopters and C-130 military transport aircraft destroyed by US forces before departing Iran. pic.twitter.com/uJv89NVfbj
— BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) April 5, 2026
Axios reported that U.S. officials tracked the stranded officer’s position and became suspicious after the radio call, fearing that Iranian forces might be sending false signals. Reuters noted that the rescue mission faced heavy resistance and involved dozens of aircraft.
Two Black Hawk helicopters were hit by Iranian fire but managed to leave Iranian airspace, according to Reuters, while another report mentioned that at least one aircraft had to be destroyed due to a malfunction during the extraction.
Reuters stated that the operation eliminated the immediate chance of Iran capturing the airman and creating a hostage crisis for the Trump administration as the U.S.-Iran war entered its sixth week.
The news agency also reported that since the conflict began, 13 U.S. service members have died and over 300 have been injured, while Iran has continued to demonstrate an ability to strike U.S. aircraft despite continuous American and Israeli attacks.
Trump’s comment about the pilot’s words came as he intensified his public rhetoric toward Iran. Reuters reported that on Easter Sunday, he threatened to target Iranian power plants and bridges if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday. He concluded one social media post with the phrase “Praise be to Allah.”
Peter Doocy: “His latest post on Truth Social has some really bad words in it, so we’re just going to give you the gist of it” pic.twitter.com/Saq1GDERp9
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 5, 2026
This wording received criticism from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which said it reflected a willingness to use religious terms while denigrating Islam and Muslims. Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and former Trump ally, also criticized Trump’s Easter rhetoric in a social media post.
Trump told Axios that Israel 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 was used to mislead Iranian forces about the rescue.
Trump has described the recovery mission as evidence of U.S. military strength, but Reuters noted that Iran still has significant missile and drone capabilities and that fighting has continued across the region.
