An F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Iran on April 3, 2026, during the ongoing US-Iran conflict, prompting a rescue mission. One pilot was recovered immediately; the second spent over 24 hours behind enemy lines before being rescued on April 4 with CIA assistance. According to Wall Street Journal reporting cited in the article, Trump was excluded from the Situation Room during the crisis because aides felt his impatience would hinder operations, though he received phone updates at key moments — Trump had reportedly screamed at staff for hours after learning pilots were missing, fearing a repeat of the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis. The article focuses heavily on Trump's emotional state and exclusion from decision-making, framing this as aides managing his temperament, but omits broader context about the military decision-making process or whether operational security protocols routinely exclude presidents from active rescue operations.