President Donald Trump boasted about potentially making a fortune in oil as a frantic search took place for U.S. crew members whose fighter jet was downed in Iran.
In a bizarre posting spree on Friday, the president also raged against fraud, hit out at “crooked” Democrats and bragged about America’s future.
But the Commander in Chief said nothing about the rescue mission that was underway.
“With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A “GUSHER” FOR THE WORLD???” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday morning.
Hours later, he followed up with another seemingly insensitive post: “KEEP THE OIL, ANYONE?”
The post came amid news that Iran had shot down an Air Force F-15E fighter jet over the country, marking a dangerous new turn in a war now into its fifth week.
As Iran placed a bounty on the crew, a dramatic search and rescue mission ensued, resulting in one crew member being rescued by American forces.
But as the race to find the second airman continued, America’s Commander in Chief was notably silent.
Instead, Trump’s public comments focused on putting another positive spin on the war, where a standoff in the Strait of Hormuz has led to a global oil crisis and higher gas prices for consumers.
In a separate post, he also talked about Vice President JD Vance’s new role as the so-called “Fraud Czar,” whose job would be to crack down on fraud in Democratic states.
“His focus will be “EVERYWHERE,” but primarily in those Blue States where CROOKED DEMOCRAT POLITICIANS, like those in California, Illinois, Minnesota (Somalia beware!), Maine, New York, and many others, have had a “free for all” in the unprecedented theft of Taxpayer Money,“Trump wrote.
“The numbers are so large that, if successful, we would literally be able to balance our American Budget.”
Just before 6 p.m., Trump posted again, this time with an Easter message—to congratulate himself.
“A very happy and blessed Good Friday to all, especially to the 186,000 Americans who gained Private Sector jobs in the month of March alone,” the president wrote. “My Economic Policies have created an enormously powerful engine of Economic Growth, and nothing can slow it down.”
Trump’s public posturing belied the gravity of what was happening behind the scenes, as administration officials set about tracking the American fighter jet that was downed in Iran.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was the first to claim an “enemy” fighter jet over Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz had gone down, while pictures circulated online showed parts of what appear to be an F-15E, including an ejection seat.
An Iranian state broadcaster offered local citizens a reward if they handed the Americans over to the authorities alive. U.S. search and rescue aircraft and helicopters scoured the area around Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz in the hope of plucking the crew to safety.
The incident marks the first time a U.S. fighter jet was downed in Iran since the war began on February 28, despite Trump repeatedly insisting America had “decimated” the nation’s military capabilities.
“We’re over the skies with the most beautiful planes you’ve ever seen,” he said recently, boasting that America was “roaming free” and “there’s not a damn thing they can do about it.”
The speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, took to social media to troll the president.
“After defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from “regime change” to “Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?” he wrote, with a sad emoji for emphasis.
“Wow. What incredible progress. Absolute geniuses.”
Meanwhile, the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, where 20 percent of the world’s oil usually flows, continues to rattle markets and push up prices.
But Trump’s Truth Social claim that he could “easily” open the Strait and “take the oil” was another mixed message from the president, who had tried to distance himself from the crisis just 48 hours earlier.
In a televised address to the nation, Trump called on other countries to “take care” of the strait.
“They must cherish it. They must grab it and cherish it. They can do it easily,” the president said.
“We will be helpful, but they should take the lead in protecting the oil that they so desperately depend on.”
