White House Leak Reveals Trump Booted From Briefing After Hours-Long Freakout
Even the president may have doubts about his war.

Photo Illustration by Eric Faison/The Daily Beast/Getty Images
Donald Trump, 79, reportedly threw such a tantrum during a fraught rescue operation in Iran that his aides banished him from the room as they were briefed.
Senior administration officials told Rupert Murdoch’s Wall Street Journal that the commander-in-chief went into a frenzied state upon learning two airmen were missing when their fighter jet was downed in Iran.
His hours-long tirade became such a hindrance that aides barred him from the room handling the crisis, opting instead to brief him at intervals, officials revealed to the Journal.

Image distributed by Iranian state media purportedly showing the wreckage of an f-15 fighter jet shot down by Iran
Iranian state media

Image distributed by Iranian state media purportedly showing the wreckage of an f-15 fighter jet shot down by Iran
Iranian state media
Before the airmen went missing, the president was already fixated on avoiding a repeat of the 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis—and the failed rescue mission under former President Jimmy Carter that helped sink his reelection bid.
“If you look at what happened with Jimmy Carter…with the helicopters and the hostages, it cost them the election,” Trump said in March, according to the Journal. “What a mess.”
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
A frantic Trump feared the two missing airmen from the downed F-15E Strike Eagle—both eventually rescued after a high-risk recovery mission—could define his presidency, too.

Americans were held hostage in Iran for 444 days.
In this Nov. 9, 1979 file photo, one of the hostages being held at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran is displayed blindfolded and with his hands bound to the crowd outside the embassy. (AP Photo),Anonymous
The panicked president demanded the U.S. military rescue the crewmen immediately, while aides warned that the military needed time to assess terrain they hadn’t had boots on the ground in since the 1970s.
The pilot of the fallen aircraft was recovered later that day. But a two-day race against the Iranians for the second crew member ensued, with U.S. troops eventually emerging victorious.
While he waited, Trump reportedly wailed throughout a nearly empty West Wing over gas prices—which had surged to an average of $4.09—and the U.S.’s European allies, whom he has repeatedly raged at for not joining the surprise war he and Israel launched on Iran on Feb. 28.
Trump launching his Iran war from Mar-a-Lago.
The White House/via REUTERS
Hours after Trump learned of the recovery mission’s success that Saturday, he kicked off Easter Sunday with a profanity-filled Truth Social tirade where he demanded Iranians “open the F—n’ Strait, you crazy b—--ds, or you’ll be living in Hell.”
He concluded the post, “Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
The president later told an adviser that he improvised the controversial post so he would be perceived as “unstable and insulting,”—which he hoped would scare Iranians to the negotiating table. At the same time, even he seemed unsure of himself, reportedly asking advisers, “How’s it playing?” as his praising of Allah on Easter Sunday sparked widespread outrage within his Christian base.
Despite that, Trump escalated further on Tuesday, writing in another impromptu Truth Social post that a “whole civilization will die tonight” in Iran if his demands were not met by Tehran.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the Journal that the president “remained a steady leader our country needs.”
“President Trump campaigned proudly on his promise to deny the Iranian regime the ability to develop a nuclear weapon, which is what this noble operation accomplishes,” she said.
Presently, a shaky ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is set to end this week, with a deal still seemingly out of reach. Trump boasted to reporters on Friday that Iran “had agreed to everything” and that the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz—through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes—was over, calling it “a great victory.”
Less than 12 hours later, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard ship fired on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
Unlock a year of full access to The Looker and The Daily Beast for $35.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Looker and The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in
Login dialog


ADVERTISEMENT
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…
ADVERTISEMENT