Trump has threatened to jail a journalist who reported on the rescue of a US airman in Iran, a sharp escalation in his administration's rhetoric against the press.
Speaking at the White House, the president said he would demand that the reporter reveal their source, warning that failure to do so could lead to imprisonment on national security grounds. He argued that the leak risked compromising an ongoing operation to recover a second airman, who was later successfully rescued.
The comments come amid growing frustration within the administration over media coverage of the conflict involving United States, Iran and Israel, which Trump and his allies have described as too negative.
It remains unclear which outlet or reporter Trump was referring to, though multiple organizations reported on the rescue within a short timeframe.
The remarks are likely to intensify concerns over press freedom, as legal protections in the US have historically limited the government's ability to compel journalists to disclose sources.