During a rescue operation in Iran after a fighter jet was downed in late February 2026, Trump reportedly became so distressed about a potential hostage crisis replay that aides removed him from the command briefing room and only briefed him periodically. The two airmen were eventually rescued after a two-day operation. Trump's public behavior during the crisis included inflammatory Truth Social posts demanding Iran open the Strait of Hormuz and threatening catastrophic consequences, which he later told advisers was intentionally designed to appear unstable as a negotiation tactic. A shaky ceasefire has continued but remains fragile, with Iranian gunfire on a tanker in the Strait occurring within hours of Trump declaring the standoff resolved.