After a weekend of no-shows and public appearances, President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a press conference in the White House Press Briefing Room on Monday, April 6, to address the intense search and rescue efforts by hundreds of special forces following the crash of an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet in Iran.
“An amazing show of courage and talent by everyone!” President Trump said of the rescue operation in an April 5 Truth social post, adding that he would hold a press conference with the military in the Oval Office on April 6.
White House press secretary Caroline Levitt said in a subsequent April 5 post on X that the press conference would be moved to the White House Briefing Room “due to public request from the press.”
After the two-seater F-15 jet was shot down by Iranian forces on April 3, the crew was able to escape. The first crew member was rescued shortly after the crash. The second person evaded capture for more than 36 hours before being rescued by special forces from Navy SEAL Team 6.
President Trump said special forces had rescued a second crew member during a dangerous night mission in a mountainous region deep in Iran. President Trump said the crew member, identified as an Air Force colonel, was injured but “will be OK.”
Here’s what you need to know about President Trump’s press conference and how to watch it.
What time is President Trump’s press conference?
President Trump will host a press conference on Monday, April 6th at 1:00 pm ET in the White House Press Briefing Room.
Watch President Trump’s press conference today live
USA TODAY will stream President Trump’s speech on April 6th at 1pm ET.
The meeting will be livestreamed on the White House website and YouTube channel and will be broadcast on all major networks, including ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NewsNation.
Why does President Trump hold a press conference?
President Trump is expected to address the intense search and rescue efforts by hundreds of special forces after two crew members were recovered from Iran following the crash of an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet there.
The United States and Iran also received a cease-fire offer after President Trump threatened to bomb Iran’s infrastructure if it did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian officials and media reports said. The framework, delivered through intermediaries, calls for an initial ceasefire, during which negotiations could take place toward a more permanent end to the war, Axios, Reuters and the Associated Press reported, citing regional officials.
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that it will soon announce its response to the ceasefire proposal. Iran has previously dismissed US proposals to end the war as “overreach.” The US has not responded to the latest framework.
The announcement followed President Trump’s expletive-laden threat to Iran on Easter Sunday, saying the United States would bomb the country’s power plants and bridges on Tuesday if it did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian military spokesman said attacks on critical infrastructure would be met with heavy retaliation.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
