U.S. rescues downed airman as Trump issues Iran deadline and weighs cabinet shake-up

The U.S. military has rescued an American airman missing after one of two warplanes was downed by Iranian air defences, providing a rare moment of relief for the Trump administration even as President Donald Trump issued a fresh 48-hour ultimatum to Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face escalated attacks on its energy facilities.

Two U.S. officials confirmed the rescue late Friday, describing the airman as the second crew member recovered from an F-15 jet brought down by Iran. The Pentagon had not yet issued an official statement. The recovery comes amid intensifying military and diplomatic pressure on Iran, which has virtually shut the strategic waterway carrying about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows since the U.S.-Israeli campaign began on 28 February.

Trump, who has alternated between hints of diplomatic progress and stark threats to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Ages,” posted on Truth Social: “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign (sic) down on them. Glory be to GOD!” Israel is also awaiting U.S. approval to strike Iranian energy sites, according to officials.

The five-week-old conflict has already killed thousands, triggered a global energy crisis and sent fuel prices surging in the United States – developments that have eroded Trump’s approval ratings to a new low of 36 percent and left the war deeply unpopular with 60 percent of Americans disapproving of the decision to launch it.

Cabinet pressure mounts

At home, the political fallout from the Iran campaign is fuelling talk of a broader cabinet shake-up. Trump is weighing personnel changes following the recent ouster of Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, according to five people familiar with internal White House discussions.

Sources said the president is frustrated with media coverage of the war and the perception that his prime-time address to the nation on Wednesday fell flat. In that speech, Trump projected confidence but offered no clear off-ramp, attributing economic pain to Tehran and insisting it would be short-lived. One senior White House official described the address as an attempt to show control, yet it failed to ease voter anxiety over rising gas prices.

Multiple cabinet members are viewed as vulnerable. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick are among those mentioned as potentially at risk. Trump has expressed displeasure with Gabbard in recent months, while some high-profile allies are privately pushing for Lutnick’s removal amid renewed scrutiny over his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

White House spokesman Davis Ingle pushed back, saying Trump has “total confidence” in both officials and praising the cabinet’s record of “historic victories.” Still, one official told Reuters: “Bondi is not the last one.” Another described expectations of “targeted churn” rather than a dramatic reset, though doing nothing could be equally risky ahead of November’s midterm elections.

The administration’s challenges are compounded by the war’s economic ripple effects. Fuel prices have risen sharply, dragging on consumer sentiment and intensifying Republican anxiety about the midterms. While Trump’s core supporters remain behind the Iran operation, broader voter tolerance is wearing thin.

With Reuters, edited by g.g.

Caption: US President Donald J. Trump speaks about about the Iran war from the Cross Hall of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 1 April 2026. EPA/ALEX BRANDON / POOL