Trump Issues Ultimatums to Iran; Missing Airman Rescued

A US Air Force F-15E takes off for a combat flight from a base in the Middle East during Operation Epic Fury. (US Central Command photo)

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US forces conducted the rescue of an Air Force crew member behind enemy lines after Iran shot down his F-15E fighter jet Friday, reports Reuters. The airman rescued by special operations forces, who President Donald Trump said was a colonel, was the weapons-systems officer on the downed jet. The rescue mission came after Trump gave Iran 48 hours to make a deal to open the Strait of Hormuz, as the search continued for the missing airman, reports Reuters. “Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell ​will reign [sic] down on them. Glory be to GOD!” Trump wrote in a social media post at 10:05am Saturday. Trump is expected to hold a press conference at 1pm today, Monday.

The jet was shot down over Iran on Friday, reports CNN. The jet’s pilot was rescued that same day. Two US Air Force helicopters were hit by Iranian fire while engaging in a search-and-rescue mission for the crew of the downed F-15E, reports The Hill. A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and a second search-and-rescue helicopter were struck but were able to escape.

An Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II reportedly crashed Friday near the Strait of Hormuz at around the same time an F-15E was shot down in Iran, reports Navy Times.

Trump issued another threat Sunday morning to strike critical Iranian infrastructure, reports USA Today. “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!” Trump wrote in the April 5 post on Truth Social. “Open the F—— Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!”

In a Thursday social media post, Trump issued a warning to Iran to make a peace deal, saying the US military has not begun “destroying” the Middle East nation and reupping his vow to “finish the job,” reports The Hill. “Our Military, the greatest and most powerful (by far!) anywhere in the World, hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran,” the president wrote.

Newly released Pentagon figures reveal that there have been 13 deaths of American service members, and a total of 365 service members have been injured as part of US operations against Iran, as of April 3.

Trump called Friday for Congress to back his $1.5 trillion defense budget alongside reductions to domestic programs, reports Politico. While calling for a historic increase in the military’s budget, the White House is also seeking a 10% cut to nondefense spending, with a proposed reduction of $73 billion from federal programs outside the military.

DefSec Pete Hegseth has asked Army Chief of Staff GEN Randy George to step down, reports Task & Purpose. As the chief of staff, George is the highest-ranking uniformed official for the service. Hegseth also fired two other Army generals—the chief of chaplains, MAJ GEN William Green Jr., and the commander of Army Transformation and Training Command, GEN David Hodne, reports CNN on MSN.

Hegseth has intervened in military promotions for more than a dozen senior officers, reports NBC News. Those efforts to block or delay promotions has raised concerns that Hegseth might be targeting them because of race, gender, or affiliation with the Biden administration, sources say.

Hegseth blocked the promotion of four diverse Army officers to the rank of one-star general, according to a New York Times report on MSN. Two of the officers targeted by the DefSec are Black, and two are women, according to senior military officials.

The Artemis II crew has begun preparing the Orion spacecraft’s cabin for the lunar observation period today, April 6, at approximately 2:30pm, reports ABC News. During the six-hour lunar observation period when the crew is on the far side of the moon, the astronauts will be at their closest approach to the lunar surface.

The Pentagon has expanded firearm access for off-duty military members on military installations, reports Army Times. A directive signed Thursday allows service members to request permission to carry privately owned firearms on bases while off duty.

The National Capital Planning Commission voted Thursday to approve Trump’s plans to build a new White House ballroom, reports NBC News. The commission, which is led by Trump appointees, met last month to evaluate the plans and public comments, many of which were negative. Public attention has focused on the aboveground portion of the planned ballroom, but what is underneath could prove to be the more complex and expensive portion of the project, says The New York Times. Trump had revealed plans for a military complex to be built beneath the ballroom, reports Navy Times. The US military will construct a “massive” underground complex beneath Trump’s new $400 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom.

The USS Gerald R. Ford has returned to sea after a five-day port call in Split, Croatia, reports Navy Times. The stop came after as the carrier had been plagued by maintenance issues that interrupted the ship’s participation in combat operations against Iran.

The US military has carried out 49 airstrikes in Somalia so far in 2026, reports Army Times. That pace puts this year on track to rival or exceed last year’s operations against Islamic militant groups. The attacks, conducted in coordination with the Somali government, come after U.S. Africa Command carried out 124 strikes in 2025.

The Marine Corps is warning visitors to boot camp graduation and other events about  ICE’s presence at Parris Island, SC, reports Marine Corps Times. Citing “increased force protection measures,” visitors at the Corps recruit depot can expect federal agents checking on their lawful immigration status.

Fewer US service members died by suicide in 2024 than year before, reports Navy Times. A Department of Defense report found that 471 service members died by suicide in calendar year 2024, down from 531 in 2023.

COL. Clarence E. “Bud” Anderson, the last surviving American triple ace of World War II, was laid to rest last month at Arlington National Cemetery with full military funeral honors, nearly two years after his death at age 102, reports Military.com. Anderson died May 17, 2024, at his home in Auburn, CA.

The US Labor Department’s March jobs report shows that the economy added 178,000 jobs and the unemployment rate decreased from 4.4% in February to 4.3%, reports yahoo!finance.

A new survey by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County found that the majority of Marylanders—4 in 10—are fans of the Baltimore Orioles, compared to 16% who declared their devotion to the Washington Nationals.

Contracts awarded in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., April 2-3, 2026:

General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $1,265,790,364 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-20-C-2120) for lead yard support and development studies and design efforts related to Virginia-class submarines. This contract modification includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract change to $2,491,982,722. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut (91%); Newport News, Virginia (8%); Newport, Rhode Island (<1%); and Quonset Point, Rhode Island (<1%), and is expected to be completed by April 2027. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $139,997,575 (64%); fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $46,977,000 (22%); fiscal 2022 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,706,000 (5%); fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,583,799 (5%); fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,476,681 (2%); fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,500,000 (1%); fiscal 2026 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,400,000 (1%); fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $750,000 (<1%); and fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,092,340 (<1%), will be obligated at time of award, of which $1,092,340 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Professional Contract Services Inc., Austin, Texas, was awarded a $40,865,883 modification to a contract (N40085-20-D-0040) for base operations support services. This modification provides for the exerciser of option six of the original award and brings the estimated total cumulative contract value to $281,489,230. Work will be performed at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia, and its outlying support sites and will be completed by March 2027. Fiscal 2026 operation and maintenance, (Navy) funds in the amount of $38,233,793 for the recurring work portion will be obligated via task order and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Mid-Atlantic, Portsmouth, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 1, 2026).

Huntington-Ingalls Industries Inc., Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is being awarded a $83,623,165 hybrid cost-plus award fee, and cost only modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-25-C-4229), a continuation contract for (N00024-21-C-4205) to exercise options for the accomplishment of the planning yard support for amphibious transport dock ships, amphibious assault ships, dock landing ships, and amphibious command ships. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi (75%), with on-site technical support for Chief of Naval Operations availabilities at Norfolk, Virginia (24%); San Diego, California (< 1%); and Sasebo, Japan (< 1%). Work is expected to be completed by May 2027. No funding will be obligated at the time of award. This contract was competitively awarded. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

L3Harris Technologies, Millersville, Maryland, was awarded a $20,216,616 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for production and engineering and technical support for submarine universal modular masts on new construction submarines. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $147,498,082. Work will be performed in Bologna, Italy (78%); Northampton, Massachusetts (20%); and Millersville, Maryland (2%), and is expected to be completed by April 2031. Fiscal 2025 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $19,701,200 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The requirement was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1). Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C, is the contracting activity (N00024-26-C-6205).