This has been quite an eventful day in the Iran war, or “excursion” if Donald Trump is still calling it that. An F-15 was shot down and both pilots went missing. Iranian media began offering $76,000 U.S. dollars to anybody who could capture and produce the pilots, alive. A U.S. search and rescue team found one of the pilots and the other one remained at large when news of a second Air Force jet crashing hit the airwaves. And where is the commander in chief? If you find out, let the rest of us know. He’s silent as the tomb right now. But social media is not, on this crucial day where a POW/hostage situation may complicate matters substantially.
People reacted online and called out the Trump administration for the dangerous situation.
“Donald Trump had time to take Tiger Woods’ call after he crashed his car again, but I don’t see him addressing the American people after a U.S. fighter jet was shot down in Iran and there’s a desperate search to find the pilots. I guess daddy’s not home today,” entrepreneur and Democratic strategist Mike Nellis wrote on X.
“Are they briefing Trump on the fighter jet being shot down, or just soothing him with boom boom TikToks?” Journalist Aaron Rupar wrote on X.
“Early reports from Iranian media suggesting US pilot in custody. Would take this with a large grain of salt, and hope it’s not the case. As it would be a significant escalation,” Adam Cochran, professor, policy consultant and journalist, wrote on X.
“The escalation is why Trump will do if they have an American in custody. You don’t have to think the US actions there, were good or justified, in order to recognize that an American POW complicates the situation, and makes off-ramps less likely,” Cochran added.
“These two things, I can’t help but read them together. Trump, threatening war crimes, and now, a possible POW. This stupid, bad-faith behavior puts our people at greater risk of mistreatment. Praying for the safety of our soldiers at all levels,” John Jackson, U.S. veteran of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, wrote on X.
“Really really hope this doesn’t become a hostage situation,” political scientist and author Ian Bremmer wrote on X.
“Iran ministry of foreign relations has put out at least one statement indicating us soldiers will be regarded as prisoners of war under geneva convention…but only if the united states reciprocated. secretary of defense pete hegseth has said ‘no quarter, no mercy’ for us enemies,” Bremmer added later in a separate X post.
“You’re absolutely right — the correct term is POW. Let’s just hope Iran sees it that way — considering Trump has said repeatedly that it’s NOT a war,” Democratic strategist Jon Cooper wrote in response to a comment on an X post.
Interesting that the Iranian military is “decimated” as Trump assured us on Wednesday but we’ve lost two planes today and are scurrying to retrieve the pilots.
Any maltreatment of any captured American servicemen will be thanks to Hegseth’s ignorant macho proclamations of “no quarter, no mercy” in Trump’s War. Even an idiot (eg Hegseth) should have known that such an illegal policy would boomerang right back. Our heartfelt prayers go out to the downed fliers; special prayers for the rescue crews flying into danger in search of our people.