WSJ: Trump weighed downplaying Apache downing before ordering response

US President Donald Trump initially considered downplaying an incident involving the Iranian downing of US Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz before ultimately approving a military response, sources told The Wall Street Journal.

Trump initially downplayed the incident during a phone interview with the Wall Street Journal, saying the downing of the helicopter “wasn’t a big deal” and that “the pilot is fine.” The newspaper said Trump was later convinced by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine to retaliate.

Following those discussions, Trump publicly stated on social media that US armed forces were “forced” to respond to what he described as an escalation by Iran.

The US military carried out strikes in Iran early on June 10 following the downing of an Apache helicopter that US President Donald Trump accused Iran of shooting down and vowed retaliation for, casting doubt on Trump’s previous claims that Washington and Tehran were on the verge of reaching an agreement to permanently end the fighting.

AH-64 Apache helicopters have been a key asset for the American military as it enforces a blockade on Iranian crude oil shipments and tankers, seeking to pressure Tehran into a deal. The helicopters have also been used by the United Arab Emirates to shoot down Iranian drones.

By Sabina Mammadli